Consequences of Actions: Book 2
by Bob Regent
Summary: Continuation of Consequences of Actions B5SG1 Xover.
1. Chapter 1

Well it's been three months and while I've worked on a lot of other stuff I really wanted to see if I could get back into this one and so here we go with the first chapter of Book Two of Consequences of Actions.

Dedications: As always to Skeet for his help with this fic, Tyr and Spartan of whom seem to have taken my ideas for this xover and run with them (damned fast too) Lightning Count for both aforementioned story AND for assisting me with the ST series we're writing and of course Ed and RenS as well.

Book Two 

Chapter 1

"I've flamingoed up, it's like a Cock up just much, much bigger."

_**Unknown Location**_

_**SGC Earth**_

_**That Day.**_

"They have gone through Sir."

"When?"

"Several hours ago, Sir. The Prometheus led a force through."

"Who was aboard?"

"O'Neill, Carter and the Jaffa, several Free Jaffa ships have gone through with them."

"What of the alien ships?"

"The Centauri ship is structurally intact as is the Minbari ship. The exterior weapons and equipment have been destroyed as has much of the interior of the Centauri ship. The Minbari ship is in good condition, and many more of their crew survived the encounter."

"Very Well, send the Minos, destroy the Jaffa ships guarding those vessels and remove them to the Beta site, make sure you get the ship Jackson is aboard. He has been a thorn for too long."

"Yes, Sir."

_**Station One**_

_**Earth Orbit**_

**_Earth Alliance._**

The tactical displays were lit up across the board as more information about the latest Minbari attacks started to come in and the tactical experts tallied friendly and enemy losses as the reports came in. One of the massive screens lit up as telemetry of dozens of capital ships and hundreds of escorts and fighters were plotted. The massive fleets breaking up into smaller task forces, the plotting tables in the very middle of the station in operation as the assigned staff began to sift through the reports.

One of the two dozen EarthForce officers approached her commander, the flimsy in her hand ready for the General's perusal. "Sir, the ninth and twelfth fleets are entering Wolfhound Sector, reports are sketchy, but the Minbari don't seem to be there."

The General looked over the reports in his hands. "Nothing at all? The new scanners should be picking them up."

"Yes Sir, SWACS ships have linked their systems to increase range and sensitivity but there are no Minbari ships in the Wolf system or anywhere for a sector around them."

"What about the surviving ships?"

"A detachment from the twelfth fleet is escorting the survivors to the Sol system, a little less than half the defensive groups got out, Sir."

"Damn, alright once they are back in system have them repaired and refit, they'll be transferred to Ross for shakedown with the fourteenth fleet."

"Yes, Sir.

"What's the latest from Proxima and Beta Durani?"

"It's strange Sir, but all the Minbari ships have bugged out. We haven't detected any activity at all."

"Is that confirmed?"

"Yes Sir. All enemy ship formations in the surrounding sectors have pulled out Sir. But it seems enemy losses were heavier then expected when they attacked the shipyards at Durani. Also Proxima has reported total destruction of Minbari assault fleet for very minimal losses to their ships."

He looked over another report from the older colony, "The scanners were that useful?"

"Yes Sir, the fleet pulled the Minbari into a crossfire. The new railguns and laser concentrators crippled the enemy ships, allowing the battle squadrons to destroy the surviving ships."

"Casualty reports?"

"Proxima lost six ships and eight squadrons of fighters Sir. Minbari ship losses at close to fifty Sir."

"After the loss of Wolfhound and damage to Beta Durani this is almost a godsend."

"Yes, Sir."

"Dismissed."

"Aye, Sir."

The General lifted himself from his seat and moved towards the Intelligence section of his command. The head of the station's intel gathering noticed this and stood up to address his commander.

"Sir."

"Report Captain."

"The reverse engineering on the Achilles based tech is almost done, the first generation of gravity generation and full rebuild of the scanners, ECM and point defences are under construction and should be ready for incorporation into a testbed Hyperion within the next few weeks. Proxima is just awaiting evaluations from the other ships in the field before starting reconstruction on the Nova X."

"Good, we need them out and fast. Make sure that ALL shipyards get the critical information ASAP, use any ships you need as couriers."

"Aye Sir."

"What about the docks at Io station?"

"Investigations are still ongoing, but it looks to be the work of the so called 'Followers of the One.'"

"Dammit, again?"

"Yes Sir. That's the sixth military target they've hit."

The General pinched the bridge of his nose, "Alright, as of now the counter terrorist ops command are given full authority to hunt these people down and shut them down whatever way they have to."

"Are you sure that's wise, Sir?"

"Not really but we have to stop them before they do too much more damage."

"Yes, Sir." The junior officer spoke in a low voice, "Sir there's a message for you from the Works. Their prototype is within range of Beta Durani and awaiting orders."

"That was fast."

"Yes Sir, some reverse engineered Minbari technology has allowed us to travel slightly faster through hyperspace than before."

"Anything else?"

"No Sir."

"Order the Zeus to continue patrol, do not contact Beta Durani unless necessary."

"Aye Sir."

"That's all Captain."

"Yes, Sir."

**USAF Achilles**

**Earth Station One**

**Later that day.**

"Sir, we're picking up something on the long range scanners."

With the Colonel and Major off ship the ship's command had fallen to the third officer and as such he had been called to the bridge from his position elsewhere. He crossed the bridge and looked at the screen.

"Can you tell what it is?"

"Negative Sir, it seems to have a form of stealth in use."

"Minbari?"

"I'm not sure Sir. I don't think so it's much too powerful for them to be Minbari considering what we know of their ships."

"Then some other race?"

"Looks like it Sir. Without the Asgard scanners we wouldn't have even seen them."

"Where are they?"

"Just outside the heliopause of the Solar System, it's just sitting there."

"Get me the Colonel immediately."

"Yes, Sir."

"_Achilles this is Davis._" The man's voice came over the radio.

"Major, we are picking up some unknown ship we thought the Colonel should know about it."

"_Colonel Taylor is in a meeting with the president, any idea about the ship?_"

"No Sir. It's well outside of the system, we can see it and if necessary target it but we can't get much more than a silhouette."

"_Continue watching the contact, if it come closer then break dock and investigate, if it leaves keep it on screen for as long as possible._"

"Aye Sir, do we tell the Alliance?"

"_Do so, tell them everything we get from the scans."_

"Aye Sir"

"_Davis out._"

_**Earthdome**_

_**Geneva**_

_**Same time**_

"Sir we are receiving a signal from the Achilles," The Comm officer said. Her job was the constant monitoring of orbital and lunar orbit communications. She turned her attention to the officer of the Watch.

A tall and thin young officer strode up to the communications officer, "I thought she was attached to the 4th fleet at Ross."

"No, Sir, it's the other Achilles."

"The other… Oh the newcomer vessel."

"Yes, Sir."

"Put it through." He ordered

"_Earthdome this is the USAF Achilles, come in."_

"We read you Achilles, go ahead," he said.

"Be advised we are reading an unknown, non-human vessel close to the edge of the solar system."

The two EarthForce personnel looked at each other, "Please confirm."

"Confirmed, unknown alien ship in near system space. Ship is stealthed and does not conform to any known ships in our database."

"Can you get a decent picture of it at all?"

"Negative, the ship is too far out and is stealthed to a degree above that of the Minbari ships."

The OOTW cut the signal to the ship and looked to the other officer, "Call the General, we might have a first one in the area."

"Aye, Sir."

Keying the circuit back on the officer spoke to the Achilles, "Achilles request you keep an eye on the unknown ship, if you manage to get anything let us know."

"Got that Earthdome, request permission to launch fighter flight for recon."

"Go ahead Achilles, we'll send a squad with you."

"Thank you Earthdome Achilles out."

The officer stood up and walked to another of the command station's officers, a rotund mustached man sat at a massive complex of monitors and computers each scrolling with information. "Launch lunar squadron Epsilon and have them meet with the Achilles' wing as they come past. Achilles fighter commander has command priority."

"Aye Sir. Epsilon Squadron launching."

From both the SGC starship and an orbital hanger bay above the surface of the Moon, two separate fighter groups launched from their homes and headed out towards the unknown signal.

_**Valen'Tha**_

_**Modified Shargotti Class War Cruiser**_

_**Same day.**_

The full Minbari council had been recalled on behalf of the warrior caste, as opposed to the usual place of meeting inside the ancient enclosure of the capital city the call to meet was decided upon aboard the most powerful ship in their fleet. The Valen'tha, the 'Valen's Own'.

"What is this about Delenn? It is late," a perturbed and annoyed Coplann spoke up.

"I apologise for this late interruption my friends but we have a problem." Delenn responded. "Two days ago a ship dispatched to investigate a possible point of arrival of the Earther's new allies arrived on station. The ship was headed by Lenonn and his best rangers. The Sharlin disappeared only hours later and we have no idea where it went."

"Where was this incident?"

"On the borders between the Earthers and the Centauri, the Centauri have also lost a ship in the area."

"Then the humans are taking out any ships that may come into the area."

"It is possible, however I find it unlikely."

"Explain."

"The humans would not have any reason to attack the Centauri. They also would not be able to destroy a Sharlin class vessel without our people sending a distress call."

"Then what?"

"I do not know. Three Religious caste heavy ships are on their way to retrieve Entilza'Na Lenonn and his people, or to find what has happened to their ship."

"Very well" the Senior Warrior Satai responded. "If this is indeed the place that the new Earther ship came from then we will take it and destroy anything that may be guarding it. The new humans have taken arms against us and so shall be destroyed as their brethren."

A new voice spoke up. "Are you sure that is wise?" The bearded Satai stood quietly. When Terron of the worker caste spoke even the most headstrong of the Council listened to the man who brought Dukhat to the Council alongside the man that Dukhat replaced.

"Satai Terron?"

The old man dropped the cowl of his grey robe to his shoulders and looked up at the assembled council. "The humans that have allied themselves with the Eathers have only reacted when threatened, and our ships have attacked them without provocation. In addition, they have allowed damaged ships to escape and even to pick up survivors from downed ships. We are not at war with the people that created that ship nor do we need to be, they did not kill Dukhat and they did not destroy any of the ships that they could spare. Their ships are impressive and while much smaller than our own capable of much more than ours are."

Sharonn dropped his own cowl. "They have begun to assist the Earthers with new technologies, if they continue they may become a problem."

Terron looked to the very junior Satai. "Do the Warrior caste fear that another race may be able to fight them in single combat for the first time in one thousand years?"

"We fear nothing."

"Then why begin a war with another race for defending themselves?"

"They are humans, they are just like their brethren of Earth. They are responsible for the deaths of a great many of our people."

"As are we of theirs. This war I have never agreed with, many of us did not want this yet you continue on. Setting us down a road to conflict with another race, one who's ships are capable of not only scanning and targeting our ships but are able to destroy several of them in combat, as well as take impacts from our heaviest weapons is folly."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"That we do not continue combat with these newcomers, we request they leave the area and do not return."

"What about the technology that they have shared with the Earthers?"

"There is nothing we can do."

The third of the Warriors now spoke. "We force them to give us the same technology that they have gifted to the Earthers, tell us how to block their scanners and redress the balance."

Terron looked at the other Satai. "You really believe that threatening the newcomers like that will in any way force them to accede to our demands."

"The humans will do as we say."

"Like they have already?" Terron sneered. "You seem to overestimate the power we hold over the other races of this area. The newcomers do not have any reason to follow what we say at all."

"They will do so."

"How will you force them to?" he asked again.

"We will tell them to." The other Satai was getting annoyed.

"Then you are a fool Warrior; threaten them and they will fight back. If the newcomers attack in force we may be in much more of a challenge than the Earthers have been responsible for."

"The Earthers will be removed before that."

Delenn spoke to the assemblage. "That may not be as true as it one was, we are taking losses that should not be happening. The warriors are beginning to balk at fighting the human ships. Dozens are lost in each engagement, now you wish to continue battle with a race that has nothing to do with our war against the Earthers."

"They are humans."

"From a world we know nothing of, with technology that we do not have or even know of. The League of Non Aligned worlds have been seen to have some of these, others such as the Streib have others but of a type different and much more cumbersome and weaker than the human's own versions. We could face a two front war with ships that will destroy our own without losses."

"Then what do you suggest Delenn," the ancient Satai asked.

"We allow the newcomer ship to leave, request they never come back. No,not demand anything from them, do not tell them to do anything. Merely let them go their way."

"Bow down to their terrorism?" Sharonn asked her. "Allow these barbarians to leave without taking the technologies that they should not have from them?"

"What terrorism?" Delenn said back hotly, "WE attacked them, WE damaged their ship, WE are responsible for driving them into the arms of the other humans, WE attempted to kill them. How are they responsible for anything other than defending themselves?"

"They still fire on our ships; they help the lesser races to combat us their obvious masters."

"Sharonn, do you even listen to yourself, or do you truly believe that babble that spews from your mouth," spoke up one of the worker Satais.

"How dare you…"

"I dare because everything that has been said by Terron and Delenn is correct. It was one of our ships that fired first the recorders from the _Shal'avi _prove that more than anything the Humans may have said. If we had not continued to hunt these innocent humans then we would not have yet another problem."

"We already know what the humans are capable of. They attacked us without provocation and killed Dukhat."

"We were all there, we know what happened. However these newcomers have nothing to do with the humans that attacked us," the Satai countered.

"A human is a human, that is all they know how to be. We let these newcomers go without penance and we shall seem weak to those that would test us. We can not let these humans go without demanding reparations for their acts against us."

Delenn looked at the man, "and if they demand reparations for the damage we caused them and the losses they took in combat, would you allow it?"

"Never."

"Then why would they pay anything, these humans had nothing to do with this war until we fired on them. The fact we are also trying to destroy every human ship armed or otherwise will not sit well with them."

"Why should we care what they think?"

"If we do not care what they think, then why should they care about our opinions? We still know little about the humans as a whole; they could decide to leave the Earthers if we allow them to. However they may decide to continue to help the other humans, at the very worst they could take umbrage to our demands and continue to assist the others."

"Then we shall destroy them as well," Coplann said with absolute conviction.

"If it comes to a face to face with the Achilles, then we shall be facing a number of the Earther's ships that can and will hurt us."

Terron spoke again. "Our intelligence from our Narn and Centauri agents and the humans assisting us with this war state the newcomers refuse to give their energy shielding and heaviest weapons to the Earthers. Pushing them may change their minds with this."

"Are we willing to allow the Earthers' technology that advanced and capable to sooth the ego of the Warrior caste?" Delenn challenged.

Sharonn closed his mouth at that. His position as most junior Satai in the council allowed him less leeway than the senior members. Even the younger but more experience Delenn was likely to be listened to, her place as Dukhat's chosen giving her that right.

"No we shouldn't. We can request that the newcomers leave the Earth Alliance and keep their remaining technology to themselves as has been said," Sharonn agreed.

"But what then?" Coplann spoke up. "The humans can out build our ships and even their primitive heavy ships can destroy our own and still survive, their numbers can and will outgun our own at the rate of construction. The knowledge they can now see our ships will make them much more confident against us."

Delenn looked at her fellow Satai. "I do not know Coplann. The fact is that even without any further help from the newcomers the Earthers now are capable of destroying our own ships. For the first time in a great many years we have a threat that may be able to defeat our forces."

"We need to destroy the Earthers before that happens, or somehow acquire the same scanners the newcomers have." Sharonn said.

"There is one other choice in this matter my friends," Terron said. "Satai Gemann?"

Another of the worker caste Satai pulled down her own cowl and looked around the assembled men and women of the Grey council. Bowing her head to them she straightened.

"While we have a great many ships under construction or refit from the mothball fleets assembled for the coming darkness," she pretended not to notice a snort from one of the Warrior Satai, "the fact is that if we continue this war at the speed and losses that we are taking in combat we will not have the ships to protect ourselves and out protectorates. The destruction of the human's fleet and their assembled stations, shipyards and colonies will take time and will cause losses we can ill afford, we may destroy them but it will be a pyrrhic victory."

"Then what do you wish for us to do Satai?" Delenn asked.

"If we are to continue as the ancient and wise race we believe ourselves to be, then the fact is we need to show the other races that while we should be feared, we should also be respected." The worker looked at the others assembled around her. "I believe that above all we need to arrest this war with the Humans."

The uproar was predictable as the warriors and indeed even one of the religious Satais began to shout and retort even the thought of ceasing the attacks on the humans. However, the worker Satais and even Delenn stood there and merely waited for the warriors to calm down.

The three warriors' arguments began to peter out as they realised that none of the others in the group were responding to their arguments. Instead the workers merely stood there.

Coplann stared at the others. "This is preposterous! To stop this war would be foolish. Our people have taken this war to their hearts; it is now more than ever a holy way."

Terron looked at the younger Minbari, "Are you so sure of that Coplann? Are you totally sure every one of our people want to destroy a race that has no way of defending itself against us? More than anything, do you speak for every single Minbari in you caste or just those you wish to hear out?"

The warrior Minbari opened his mouth to retort the accusation from the elder worker, he was however cut off by one of the other warriors. Morann looked around the circle of Satai.

"We decided this war would go ahead, the council voted to go to war with the humans. Delenn herself caste the vote to allow this, now you are saying that we should stop this war because it is hard?"

"Not all of us voted for this war Morann, if you do not remember then let me remind you. Four of us voted for the war and four of us voted against it, there is nothing 'sudden' about trying to cease the slaughter this war is responsible for."

"Nonetheless we are at war with the Earthers. They did kill Dukhat by firing on our ships. The war continues because enough of our people of all the castes wish to see the humans punished for their transgressions, it is that simple."

"What of those whom do not wish to see this war continue? What about those whom wish to live without the war?" Terron said. "Are we to force our young and our best into a war where an entire generation of our people are wiped out by another race that made a mistake?"

The last Satai of the Worker class looked up at the assembled, "The fact is my fellow Satai that we have less and less young born into each generation. The loss of so many of our people to this war will cripple our numbers in the future. We need to stop this war before it destroys us as well."

Coplann stared at the worker. "If we stop this now everything we have done this far will have been for nothing."

"And if we continue everything we have done for the past thousand years will have been for nothing," Terron countered. "We must choose and quickly."


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry this took so long but hopefully now uni is done with forever I can get back to it. Thanks to LC and Tyr for their help and Skeet as always.

Chapter 2  
"At least you know when you die, that's more than most of us get. All most of us get is, "mind that bus, what bus?" Splat."

Brakos  
Brakiri Alliance  
League of Non Aligned Worlds  
One week ago

The Brakiri council had met for the first time since their response to the Earth Alliance at their requests for aid. The Council members were in an uproar as the information coming from their highly paid agents in the Alliance had led them to find out just how the Alliance had been managing to do to the Minbari what no one had been able to do so in many years. Already numerous insults and threats had been thrown around by the representatives of the major corporations and more than a few at them from the less powerful companies. Accusations of cowardice and bribes were being tossed at each other continuously."

"ENOUGH." A powerful voice shook the room, the audio pick-ups of the chairman's dias had amplified his voice by several times to overpower the arguments that had been raging. "We are not common Drazi. Act like the corporate members you are claiming to be. The chair recognises the member for Im-Resha."

"Thank you. As I was saying before being interrupted, the state of affairs in the sector can not be allowed to continue. With the advances these newcomers have shown they could allow the Earth Alliance to corner the markets in technology. If they defeat the Minbari then what chance do the rest of us have against them?"

"We have seen their shielding in action, something much more powerful than ours and then there are their weapons systems; nuclear explosives a hundred times the power of any seen before and energy weapons capable of burning down a Minbari ship of the line."

A second member of the council shouted out, "They are not our enemies yet, but what if they demand that we make restitution to them what then?"

"We also know they do not wish to trade those parts of their technologies to the races of this part of the galaxy," the chairman said

"Why would they wish US to pay retribution? We have done nothing," a third said.

"That's the point," the first said. "We have done nothing; we promised to help them after what they did during the war with the Dilgar. All we've done is stepped away and let the Minbari try to wipe out the humans. The fact that the humans have started to put technology out that can stop the Minbari means that they now will have any upper hands in anything they have to do with the League."

"Councilman Hamrid, We had a thousand Minbari ships invade across the entirety of the League. We couldn't see them and we weren't expecting them. What else could we have done?" the third responded.

"The humans would not see it that way Mister Toprin. They will see it as nothing more than betrayal. Indeed we have betrayed them. They have defended us at every turn for fifteen years but we have turned our backs in their moment of need."

"So what do we do?" A forth Brakiri asked.

"We offer materials, munitions, weapons and defensive technologies as well as medical and food aid. If we're lucky we will be able to acquire some of the information the Earthers have been able to trade for from the newcomers."

"Are you insane?" the third asked. "If the Minbari find out we are assisting the humans with their war then we will become targets. Nothing is worth the risk we run by joined the Earthers."

"If we can trade for the information we need, we will not have to be afraid of the Minbari ever again. The human ships are inferior in technology to almost every race in this part of the Galaxy yet they destroyed the Dilgar and are now holding back the Minbari. No one has seen any race stand up to the numbers and the power of the Minbari, yet the human ships are starting to take out even the biggest Minbari ships one for one." Hamrid said.

"What do you suggest then?" A quiet voice from the centre stand asked the younger Brakiri.

"We send an envoy to the Humans; offer them anything they need and want and our offer to join the war with them. In exchange request the scanner updates to allow us to see the Minbari." Hamrid explained.

"Anything?" The Head of the Krona asked

"Yes Sir, including our shield technology."

The entire council session went into an uproar at the councilman's order, jeers from one side while shouts of agreement from the other. The shield technology was their most highly guarded secret, more powerful than the Centauri's gravimetric shielding. The Brakiri had used the gravitic shielding on every ship since they seceded from the Centauri Republic.

To give the information to another race was ludicrous; one as young and dangerous as the humans was folly. However if they were to assist and gain technologies from the Earthers then they would have to.

The council head banged his gavel to bring the meeting back under control, the members of the council finally sitting down. He looked at the young diplomat that had brought this request before the assembled Krona, he nodded his head and leaned back in his seat contemplating the plan.

"They may see this as nothing more than an attempt to steal their new technology from underneath them. They could and would be more than willing to turn us away or worse, fire on our ships and they would have every right to do so. They fear the Minbari and rightly so but still they fight, they may not wish for our help, but we have no other choice. If we wish to stay allied to the Earth Alliance and keep up with them technologically and financially then we must swallow our pride and our fear and offer our support." He continued

"Do you see this as successful then, councilman?" the head once again spoke.

"It may be successful, it may not but we have to try. The Earthers and their allies could push back the Minbari and any other race that oppose them. We could end up as allies and have them willing to help us. If we want their help then we should offer them our own. I will go myself to their homeworld and offer these terms.

"Will you be able to get through to their world?"

"I don't know but we can but try."

"What of the other races of the league?"

"The Drazi, the Vree and the Hyach are all sending their own representatives, each are going to request the same thing. However it seems that the Hyach will be ready to move their vessels into the Earth Alliance's space within hours of the Earthers agreeing to their help. Over one hundred of their spinal cruisers are ready to attack the Minbari supply lines as soon as they have a ship to allow them to see the Minbari. In addition the Markab have already sent half of their assault forces to the closest border to the Earth Alliance while more ships are moving on the Minbari border – almost two thousand ships."

"By the Gods, that is close to three quarters of all their ships!"

"Yes sir it is. They are awaiting Earther ships already dispatched with the new technologies."

"Then assemble our own ships, we will however not move them into Earth space until necessary."

"If they ask it, do we go to war with the Minbari?"

"The other races of the League are more than willing to send their ships into the jaws of the Minbari without thought. Their willingness to help the humans now that they will be able to stand up to them is like us motivated by what they can get from it. The Markab were always attempting to get the League involved in the war. As such when it comes to it, if the technology transfer is approved we will send as many ships as we can. If not then the humans will go it alone."

"What of the newcomers?"

"You will meet with them as well. Offer them the same deal for other technologies, if the other Earthers refuse to allow us access to them. They may be more willing to accept allies in this part of the Galaxy than the other Earthers would. However it does seem that there is little we can offer them."

"My ship will be leaving in two hours Sir. I beg the leave of the Krona to begin my journey to the Earther's homeworld."

"Your leave is granted my friends. Good luck councilman the future of the Brakiri and the League may rest with your voyage."

The Brakiri councilman left the Krona meeting hall heading for the consular ship. It was known that even the Narn would not fire on a ship with diplomatic immunity. However he did not notice the figure in the shadows watching his every move, with a gesture the figure sent a signal to the closest transmitter filtering it through to a hidden satellite and into deep space

USAF Prometheus  
Achilles Rift

The Prometheus sat several thousand miles from the event horizon of the rift and one by one the ships of its task force transverse the hole and were taking up positions around the Earth ship. One of the larger prototype Free Jaffa ships had taken a serious jolt coming through the rift to an extent smoke had been seen from the hull of the vessel. Bringing their ship closer they were able to see a small fire cut as the atmosphere was shut off from the damaged area.

"Report Colonel?"

"The shields on all the ships held the majority of the rift's energy back. The Del Shakka Mel is reporting slight damage to their generators. They'll need to take them offline before they can repair them. Everything seems to be in order on all the other ships."

"How longs that gonna take?"

"At least a day."

"For cryin' out loud. Alright contact the rest of the ships. We hold tight for the 'Mel to finish repairs before continuing in."

"Aye Sir."

"Rest of the ships?"

"All ready to go General, all fighters armed and operational. Our missile bay three is reporting failure in the power systems to the reloading train. However it should be fixed within three hours or so."

"Pretty lucky that thing didn't fry us like it did those bigger ships."

"It does seem that the bigger the ship the worse the damage inflicted, the shields helped with our transfer as well. But after reading the reports on the Al'kesh we sent through first, I think cargo ships and fighters will be able to go through with minimal damage but it would be hazardous to the crews."

"That would explain why the Jaffa ship was damaged."

"Yes sir, its bigger size would have caused a bigger spike than usual."

"Any idea what cause the hole Carter?"

"No Sir. Must have been a hell of a bang to do something like that."

"We'll ask the Achilles when we see them I suppose."

"I'm not sure they would know Sir. Even with the Asgard sensors on our ships we can't seem to figure out just how the rift was formed."

"I bet it had something to do with Naquada."

"Sir?"

"Everything that goes wrong or ends up shifting us through dimensions or time or whatever has to do with that damned stuff. I bet it was some kind of Naquada explosion that did this."

"It's possible sir. The Asgard might know more."

"I'll bet. Send a communication through to Daniel tell him we've all come through and to send our reports through to the SGC. Then tell him to get his butt through, the Centauri and Minbari will be fine to come through. They will right?"

"According to the medics, yes Sir. Signal is off, receiving reply."

"Jack?"

"Daniel, time to come through."

"Jack, the Minbari Lenonn just went into a coma. The Jaffa healers don't know if they can save him as the sarcophagus has no effect on his physiology and, they don't want to risk another transfer across the rift."

"What the hell happened?"

"He must have been affected by whatever it was that injured the crew, it just took longer to get to him than the others. They don't know what it did or how to keep him alive. They really don't want to risk their patients, not considering how badly off the remaining are."

"Shit, Daniel it's safe to come through, whatever hit their ships won't do anything to your ship. If you can't get them to agree come across in an Al'kesh we'll have one of the other ships pick you up."

"I'll try Jack, they might not listen.

Within an hour a ship finally came through the rift, one Al'kesh bomber with a half dozen Jaffa and one human archaeologist.

Earth Station One  
Earth Orbit

The meeting between the Earth Alliance officials, the Achilles crew and the numerous alien races that made up the ambassadors of this part of the Galaxy had gone remarkably smoothly. 

Only a small incident involving a live frog and a glass of Centauri Bravari in the hands of their ambassador had spoiled the atmosphere. Fortunately Londo's lethal allergy to the frog had been dealt with quickly. The conspicuous absence of Ambassador G'Kar of the Narn had led many to believe it was the Narn's doing.

More meetings had gone on with other diplomats of the League of Non Aligned worlds as well as a few that seemed to belong to a non Earth Alliance human planets, something that they had not been briefed on by the diplomats of the Alliance thoroughly annoying Paul Davis

As the night had wound down, many of the Ambassadors had begun to ask for meetings with the crew of the Achilles one on one, it was fortunate that Major Davis had such a capability when working with the diplomats of other worlds his time with the SGC working well for him.

Although Taylor could well see why he had requested shipboard duty even with his position with the Pentagon, a few hours and she was ready to commit homicide Xenocide? she thought wonderingly. How her XO had the patience and wherewithal to do his job was beyond her.

Colonel Taylor grinned at her helpless exec that despite a pleading look in her direction, strolled out the door before she could be jumped by any of the diplomats. Diving into one of the empty room to the side the Air Force office set down her drink and poured a cup of water from a dispenser to the side of the room.

Turning around Taylor was startled as she collided with another person; both hit the ground with a thud. Looking up she was a young man in his mid twenties on the floor opposite her, shaking his head he looked up at the Air Force officer.

"Oh my! I'm sorry I wasn't concentrating." He scrambled up and extended a hand to the redheaded woman in front of him, "Really I am sorry, I'm running sort of late for a meeting with well…" he smiled shyly.

Taylor accepted the hand up and brushed herself down, "No harm, no foul. As a matter of fact I'm running late for a meeting as well, someone from EarthForce Xeno-archaeology or something."

"Oh that's probably me; that is if you're Colonel Joanna Taylor," he said with a self-deprecating grin.

"Yes I am," she replied. "And you are?"

He looked surprised at that and smiled again, something she was beginning to realise might be a permanent fixture on his face.

"Oh I'm sorry. The name's Morden Doctor Robert Morden."

"So you are one of the scientists that are to be assigned to us?"

"Yes Ma'am." Morden replied. "EarthForce requested a Xeno Archaeologist/Biologist to be assigned to the Alliance team that will be working with your crew. I volunteered to join them."

"Why?" Taylor asked handing the younger man a drink, taking it thankfully he took a sip and put it down.

"To tell the truth Colonel I was intrigued," Morden said. "The arrival of humans from another part of the Galaxy was something I didn't quite think possible, but here you are with you ship and crew. Quite Amazing."

Another part of the Galaxy? Taylor mused. it seemed that the young scientist hadn't yet been informed about the true nature of the SGC warship. Something she will have to sort out in time.

"Anyway," he continued, "I decided I wanted to know about your people and how your technology seems to be so different to the rest of the known races. I mean it's like you're a conglomeration of both the relatively primitive and the highly advanced. Your technical base is unlike anything we've seen, the fact that you also have access to equipment that also seems much different to our own."

"So you're interested in us as well as the technology we have?"

"I'm much more interested in your crew and where you come from; let the technicians figure out the rest. What is the year on your planet? What kind of calendar do you use?"

"Basic twelve month calendar, the year is 2004."

"You mean that you know when you were taken from Earth, two thousand years or so is the third century AD. No one would have noticed the disappearance of so many people worldwide though, considering the apparent races and cultures that you all represent. This is amazing."

"Calm down doctor," Taylor said looking quite amused. "You will have time to talk to our people and read up on our basic information. You might be surprised at how closely our histories match."

"I am looking forward to it Colonel, I really am."

"So what can you tell us about your world Doctor."

"Robert, please."

"Joanna."

"Thank you, well I assume you know the basics of our world and the last few hundred years. The third world war, the formation of the Alliance and then EarthForce and of course the Centauri and the Interstellar wars we have been fighting."

"Just the basic run down at Durani Station. We were much too busy helping with the repairs and upgrades to both our ship and the fleet."

"Hmm, well in that case I'll start at the beginning…"

Main Engineering:

"That's the missile launcher pulled chief," one of the engineers said. "It'll take some work but it should be able to replace the destroyed one in the rear."

"Good work, Horowitz."

"Chief, if I may ask, why are we moving that launcher it was in perfect condition?"

"That's precisely why we are moving it. It works and can be reloaded. The loss of the rear launcher has put a hell of a blind spot in the ship's weapons and replacing it with one of the flank launchers was out best bet."

"So what are we going to do about this damn great hole in the starboard nacelle?"

"Ahh, that is something that we're having fun with."

"I know that look chief."

"I know you do Horowitz, that's the fun part of this job. I can look like this and you can't do anything except bitch and then do your job."

"Thank you so much for that Chief."

"When we were aboard Durani Station going over some upgrades and repairs to this old bucket and those hunks of steel the Alliance calls ships, we were trying to figure out a few weapons changes to our own loadout."

"Like those interceptor things?"

The chief sighed at yet another interruption from the peanut gallery and looked up at the second floor. A few of the other off duty engineers were sitting around watching the ongoing repairs aboard their ship. "Yes like those Interceptor things Harriman, we were trying to figure out what else we could use to increase out weapons the load. The problem is that their weapons are bulky and have too much recoil for this ship to handle without major bracing being attached to the hull."

"So what are we putting onboard?"

"If you shut up, I'll tell you."

"Sorry chief."

"Anyway, they were looking over the rail guns we had exchanged and let us have a look at their versions as well. Seems they've had them for years and have started to remove them from most of their ships. Bloody stupid thing to do considering their enemies as well. It seems that our rail guns are slightly better overall but their energy dumping equipment and miniaturisation are better than ours."

"Nice," one of the other off duty men said.

"Faster firing at a higher speed, they should be able to help upgrade our own weapons soon as well. Just have to hope we can recreate them when we get back as well, a dozen of these guns on a ship would shred a Ha'tak."

"What so we're putting a rail gun in that nacelle?" Horowitz asked.

"Not just a rail gun, a big arse rail gun capable of outdistancing and blowing more shit out of the enemy than our main rail guns can."

"That nacelle's ten times the size of the main rail guns."

"I know Harriman, why else do you think we're putting one in there. Gives us something to hit with if the big gun goes down."

"We won't be able to carry many rounds for that thing, not considering the damn rounds would be the equivalent of a sixty inch shell."

"Considering the fact we're stuck in a system until we get a small enough hyperdrive, built it's not a problem, those Centauri apparently have a few designs we might be able to trade tech for."

"Isn't the tech sharing kind of against the rules?"

"If the Colonel says we can then we can. I really want a look at some of their technology though especially those big arse cannons they have. Anyway, you're right. We won't be carrying more than a few dozen but we can adapt the missile reload systems pretty easily anyway."

"You're the chief, Chief."

"How good of you to notice Harriman. Now if you're not on duty bugger off or give someone a hand."

The top gantries emptied quickly none of the off duty staff wanting to annoy the chief during his second of the three shits he was pulling each day to get his ship back in some sort of order. Satisfied the chief turned back to his operations staff.

"Alright people, get that missile launcher installed. Horowitz get your second team together we're going to see about getting this damned rail gun installed as well. It's gonna be a long day."

"Got it, chief."

"Chief, Major Davis wants to talk to you."

"Thought he was still on the station."

"Not anymore, Boss."

"Alright tell him I'll be right up. I need a coffee."

"Yes Boss."

Before he could move anywhere the master alarm sounded off. The alert sirens indicated that the ship's reactors were starting to spike. An automatic shut down prevented anything from happening; however as the reactors shut down so did the ship's systems leaving them on minimum setting.

"What the hell? Horowitz, get a report on what's still on. Beta team suit up we're going into the reactors as soon as it's safe, Wilkinson get those alarms off."

"Boss, we have total shut down of primary and secondary reactors, all that's running is life support, artificial gravity, inertial dampeners and the ECM suite."

"ECM's working?" the chief asked.

"Yes sir, orders were to tie a Mark two reactor into it in case power was shut down."

"Who by?"

"The Colonel, chief."

"Alright Horowitz get everyone else to evacuate engineering and the adjacent decks and ready the ejection systems just in case."

"Yes Chief."

"I'll be with beta team; something isn't right here."

F302  
Callsign 'Alpha One'  
En route to unknown signal

Spinning through space in the solar system was nothing new to Silverston. Even his new albeit temporary rank of Captain meant little to the born pilot. The fact that he was speeding at a very high speeds past hundreds of ships and structure being paced by twelve humans built star fighters several hundred years more advanced than his own however, was slightly disorienting.

His F-302 had launched from the lower bay of the Achilles and out into space the anti-fighter missiles replace with a single pair of ship killers. As he and his wingman had dropped from the hanger bay and into space a single Starfury had accosted them.

Startled he had only just managed to stop his guns going off by a reflex action. The fury had radioed an apology explaining he hadn't been ready for the 302's quick acceleration. Accepting the apology and waving to the pilot from his seat he had radioed back and boosted out into the system proper.

Awaiting them in lunar orbit had been twelve Starfuries of the Lunar garrison. Epsilon squadron was one of the local equivalents of the Coast Guard and National Guard combined. The commander had contacted Silverston with his compliments, the small group of fighters had set off on full burn towards the edge of the solar system.

It had only taken an hour or so for the fighters to make it to the system's edge, there they had started scans both from the 302s and the Furies. However the signal that had been picked up by the Achilles was strangely missing, the scans continued along the elliptical orbit that the Achilles had plotted.

"Alpha One to Achilles."

"Achilles responding."

"We've lost the contact Achilles please advise."

"Stand by Alpha One, full scale scan initiated."

The Achilles immensely powerful scans swept the system, the Goa'uld and Asgard based sensors watching for anything sign of the elusive target. Two scans passed until the warship got a positive signal.

"Alpha One we read a signal at 234 mark 88. Two hundred thousand kilometres from your position."

"We read Achilles, continuing probe."

The twin F-302s continued their patrol trying to find the unknown signal, seconds later it appeared on their scopes, transmitting the telemetry to the Starfuries the fourteen fighters turned onto an intercept course heading straight for the unknown signal.

Vorlon Ship  
Outer Solar System

The living ship had been scanning the entire system surreptitiously for several days. The intrusion into the local space by an unknown ship had piqued the curiosity of the Vorlons. As far as they knew no one but them had transplanted any form of life from the planet known as Earth.

The arrival of a warship, small but immensely powerful and crewed by what seemed to be humans was of interest to them. Their destruction of a number of the Minbari's warships had merely increased their interest and with the transfer of the newcomer ship to the Sol system the Vorlons had sent a single scout class ship to that system.

For now Kosh was more than willing to keep an eye on the system and the attempts of the humans to unravel a mystery that had caused even the Vorlons to find themselves stumped. The technology used by the newcomers could create a new type of order where two races were as powerful as each other and as such neither would be able to destroy the other.

If the humans found themselves starting to overpower their favoured children then the newcomer ship would be destroyed it was that simple. For Kosh this was a simple yet elegant solution to defeat their nemeses for yet another thousand years, if possible for all time.

Kosh watched as waited as the humans began yet another round of repairs and building in their system-wide shipyards, it's scans picking up every minute trace coming from the ships and stations of the Alliance.

One exception had been the damnedable jamming system that the newcomers had been running since it had arrived; causing the Vorlon scans to be completely ineffective something no race bar the Shadows had ever been able to do. A technology that would be of immense use to all sides if they could get to it. The humans had already begun their own versions of the jammers much to the Minbari's distress.

A small group of signals came up on the equivalent of a scanner screen on the Vorlon's ship. Perturbed, the ancient being brought up a picture on the screen. His scans recognised the cross winged shape of the Earther's primary fighter type, a powerful vessel by anyone's view, even a match for the majority of the other powers' own fighter designs. 

The other two he had never seen before, a jagged winged black fighter of which no records seemed to exist. The Vorlon came to the conclusion that they were a new type of human fighter possibly belonging to the newcomers.

Engaging his thrusters the pilot moved away from the oncoming fighters and into a new orbit of the system. Satisfied, he settled down to watch over his scans. A thought/message/alert informed him that the humans were again heading for him, all fourteen on a direct vector for his ship. Moving again he found himself being followed, this time a message from the lead black craft came from the instruments.

"Unknown vessel, you are in restricted airspace, power down and surrender. You are surrounded."

Impudence was the thought from both the ship and the pilot at that demand. They were old and powerful, and no human could take on a Vorlon and win. Powering up his main engines the pilot started to move away from the swarm of fighters, as he did so a bolt of plasma energy pulsed past the ship.

"Unknown this is your last warning, surrender or we will open fire."

Ignoring the human, the Vorlon engaged his drive, finally becoming visible to the humans as a show of contempt for their actions. As he did so the ship screamed in pain as dozens of explosive shells peppered its backside like buckshot as the two USAF star fighters opened fire with their projectile weapons.

Unlike with the energy weapons of main races, the Vorlon's skin was much more vulnerable to projectile weapons. As few races used them and almost none could lock onto a Vorlon ship this was seen as a vulnerability that was next to useless to any enemy that they would encounter.

However now they found that a human ship could not only see them but hurt them as well, the holes in the Vorlon's hide sealed up almost instantaneously, the skin healing up. Turning in place the Vorlon ship charged at the human fighter its main cannon firing.

F302 Alpha One:

"Oh shit all units break."

The fourteen fighters of the patrol broke formation as the lightning cannon from the Vorlon scout ploughed through space narrowly missing the madly jinking human vessels. One unlucky pilot took a hit to his starboard thrusters shearing them off and sending him spinning into space.

The disabled fighter exploded as its fusion cells ruptured killing the pilot and buffeting the closest fighter. In response the EarthForce fighters began their own attack, hundreds of Plasma bolts rained down onto the Vorlon ship it's shielding and armour taking the powerful fighter's fire and shrugging it off.

The lightning gun came into play once more as the Vorlon returned fire towards the evasive fighters, the agility of the Starfuries allowed them to hold off the majority of the fire while trying to get their own hits in as many missing as the ship disappeared from their scans.

Meanwhile the two F-302s had begun their own attack run, having pulled away from the fight almost as soon as the first shots had been fired each was speeding directly at the Vorlon ship their modified sensors allowing a partial lock on the now sensor-stealthed vessel.

"Alpha One, Fox Two."

A single highly modified and Naquada enhanced ship killer missile left its rail and was sent screaming at the Vorlon ship. A bolt of energy came from the bioship and detonated the missile at close range. The explosion however did much more damage than the First One had thought possible as several kilotons of explosive force slammed into the hull of his vessel.

"Alpha One, Fox Two

"Alpha Two, Fox Two."

Two more of the missiles were launched concurrently with the first detonation. The Naquada blast had all but blinded the scans on all the vessels bar the USAF fighters. This allowed the two remaining missiles to hit the Vorlon ship directly, both slammed into the side of the ship at the same time blowing a fifty metre hole in the die of the ship over six meters deep.

"Damn that's some serious armour," Silverson said. He looked out the cockpit windows to see the Starfury pilots grasping at their helmets as if some kind of sound was causing them immense pain. "What the hell, Alpha Two you see that?"

"Roger that, the entire squadron is incapacitated."

"Epsilon Leader come in, Epsilon Leader Respond."

"Pain, it's screaming oh God it hurts," came the only response before the radio went dead.

"Shit, Alpha Two blow that thing out of the sky."

"Firing. Fox Two."

The last of their missiles had a solid lock on the Vorlon ship; its stealth down due to the damage it had taken. Target acquisition was more than successful as the missile ploughed into the Vorlon ship's hull.

Vorlon Ship:

Pain was all that the symbiosis of the two being could feel. Their stealth systems had been all but useless against these newcomers. The damage from their primitive weapons was excruciating. The loss of defences, weapons and even the self-repair ability of the ship had come from that one hit. All that remained were the communications and scanners. The hyperdrive engines, while active, were still charging from being shut down; however it would take only a few seconds to charge from its internal reactor. That was several seconds too long and it watched helpless as the last of the enemy missiles impacted INSIDE it's ship detonating its impossibly powerful warhead within the literal guts of the living ship. Both ship and pilot died as the ship shattered from the internal explosions of both the missile and its own systems.

For the first time in uncounted millennia a Vorlon died. It's death screams were heard throughout known space by telepaths, First Ones and it's own race. The life force of the being that would one day be known as Ambassador Kosh Ulkesh was extinguished forever.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

"Is that what I think it is?" "What do you think it is?"

"An orange whirly thing in space!"

_**Trust Headquarters**_

_**Continental United States**_

_**SGC Earth**_

"Sirs the Minos is entering the rift system, they are awaiting orders."

"Order the Minos to maximum stealth and take out any ships in the system."

"Yes sir, orders sent. Recon says that there are only two of the Jaffa ships remaining; the two hulks are almost side-by-side close to the guard vessels. No sign of any other ships in the immediate area."

"Jackson?"

"He is still believed to be aboard one of the ships, a shuttle left his ships several minutes ago and docked with the other one after that the Minos sensors were shut down before they could be traced. He seems to be aboard the other ship with several of the aliens."

"Damned alien loving scum." One said

"Destroy them." The head of the group ordered.

"The Minos is going in sir."

_**Warship Minos**_ _**Achilles Rift System**_

The first sign that there was another ship in the system was the flash of a single barrelled energy weapon firing into the closest Jaffa ship, the unprepared vessel shattered as the pulses pierced it's hull detonating the reactors and causing the ship to go up.

So quick was the attack that the Freedom's Choice was barely able to raise their own shields before the energy weapon crashed into the energy barrier, the shields were barely firming up when the burst ripped through them blowing off an entire section of the superstructure.

Lights flickered throughout the pyramidal warship as energy was transferred throughout the ship to the shields and internal systems around the damage hull. More pulses slammed into the Jaffa ship shaking it and draining the shields again, unable to continue in battle the Jaffa ship opened a Hyperspace window and ran from the scene debris spinning from it's crippled hull.

"Threat warship had transitioned to hyperdrive Sir, it's heading for the Jaffa military base at Cestus."

"Doesn't matter, by the time they get ships assembled we'll be long gone. Launch the tugs."

Dozens of running lights powered up across the hull of the matt black ship, a small hanger opening up on the ventral hull, from the hanger eight small Goa'uld shuttle sized ships launched. All eight heading for the first of the damaged alien warships, the Minos herself moving to the other ship.

"Ready tractor beam."

"Ready sir."

The Minos slowly settled over the damaged Minbari warship it's smaller size eminently visible to anyone who might have been watching. From the rear of the hull a white glowing stream intersected with the Alien vessel, slowly the Earth warship began powering up its main engines the strain showing on the shuddering ship's structure.

As the Earth vessel continued to pull at the heavy Minbari Battleship flashes of light could be seen in space around the two ships with every flash a body spun into space as the Jaffa repair crews were beamed into the ether by the human ship.

Sixty Jaffa engineers and eight survivors of the Minbari's transit were killed within seconds by the impressively accurate use of the Minos transporter, once completed the human engineers aboard the Minos transferred aboard and began taking over the systems of the warship.

Finally overcoming lack of inertia of the Alien vessel, the Minos began pulling the ship along in its wake it's massive ion engines straining at the dead weight of both ships.

"Sir the tugs are hailing us, the Centauri ship is secured but they are having trouble moving it, it seems the ship's mass is higher than expected."

"Launch the last tugs."

"Yes sir, launches responding and are a go."

"Deploy."

From the same hanger three more of the small tugs deployed, each based on the specifications that the trust had garnered from the captured Tel'tec vessels that the SGC had been able to obtain over the years.

However like the F-302 fighters these vessels were wholly human built but was not equipped with a cloak or a hyperdrive, these small scouts were workhorses and nothing more and the dozen aboard this ship were the complete and total run so far completed.

Reaching the empty Centauri ship the last of the tugs launched their tow lines into the hull of the capital ship, their trinium alloy 'hooks' penetrating the metal of the outer hull and opening inside the breaches. Activating a mass suppression field much like those aboard the earth based warships the eleven tugs began to move the massive ship, slowly at first but with startling rapidity their oversized engines staining against the mass.

"Tugs read secure sir both target ships are now in out possession."

"Scan both ships make sure there no signal or remaining personnel aboard them."

"Scanning sir."

The powerful scanners of the Minos swept across both alien warships, the refractive armour of both ships useless against the advanced sensor equipment aboard the ship, a few minutes passed as the intensive scan went through ever nook and cranny looking for any possible stowaways.

"Clean sir, nothing aboard."

"Alright bring the other ships into our sphere and set the hyperspace field for maximum."

"Sir that will strain both our engines and slow us down."

"Understood but we can't let either of these ships go."

"No sir, but if I may?"

The Captain nodded to his officer and the young Japanese looking man typed in several commands on his console, above them a holographic map pinpointed a sector close to their current positioning.

"Here sir, there is a heavy radiation pulsar. Close to its edge is a moon, very rich in both naquada and trinium as well as a few other minerals. The radiation from the pulsar means that no long term expeditions can be mounted in the area hence why it's still intact."

"With that soup it's no wonder."

"Yes sir, we could drop one of the ships there and leave it. That would allow us to take the second ship and drop it off at the construction facility, all we'd have to do is return and take the second."

"How long?"

"Three hours there with the Centauri ship, five with Minbari vessel. I suggest sir we put the Minbari vessel there and take the other one to home base. Its armour should hold the radiation off for a while more than long enough for us to retrieve it."

"Ten hours there and back, time to Jaffa Interception?"

"Ten hours sir, it'll be damn close more so if they have any of those new ships there."

Looking over the readouts the captain scanned the information; both ships were invaluable to The Trust. If they could take the ships before the SGC could return to claim them then so much the better, the biggest problem was indeed the speed of the Jaffa reinforcements.

"We don't have a choice, we'll take the Centauri ship to the other system and come back to retrieve the Minbari one, we'll take both to the other system and drag that blue monstrosity to home base."

"Sir…"

"We run the risk of losing one of both of the ships if we try it the other way, it's a good plan but just needs a few changes. You will be commended for quick thinking, now set the systems for sustained towing and hyperspace travel. Make sure the shields are working."

"Yes sir."

Outside the ship the tractor beam beneath the ship broke it's lock from the now slowly drifting Minbari ship and locked onto the smaller alien ship, even so the ship was still several times that of the smaller earth ship. Locked onto the Centauri ship the Minos started to pull the other ship into position.

"We're locked on sir, hyperdrive initiators standing by."

"Activate hyperspace engines."

"Activating, window is opening and field is around both ships and we are launching in three, two, one, now."

The Minos and its prize capture dropped into hyperspace from the Achilles rift and headed for its next port of call, an unknown system useless for all known purposes. Leaving behind one alien warship and its tugs to watch over the alien ship, one of those small ships communicating with its earthbound overlords.

_**Trust Headquarters**_

_**Continental United States**_

_**SGC Earth**_

"Sirs we are receiving a message from tug zero seven, it's coming through one of the cloaked relays."

"Put it through."

A Goa'uld telecommunications sphere floated above a specially built 'table' in the very centre of the headquarters, almost ever man and woman of the higher circle was there that day awaiting news. Several still disliked the fact they were using the Goa'uld technology instead of taking human built systems from the SGC, something the entire group had conflicting issues about.

The face of the tug's commanding officer flickered into view on the sphere, the man was as non descript as he could be something the trust's operatives were chosen especially for. Staring into space the middle aged man spoke to the room unable to see any of them.

"This is tug zero seven to command."

"Command here, report your mission status."

"Mission was a qualified success, one Jaffa ship destroyed, both alien warships have been captured."

"One ship, there were two guarding the wrecks."

"Yes sir, they were able to jump away before they could be destroyed. However their communications and main weapons were disabled by the Minos."

One of the others was livid at the apparent bungling of the attack, "You fools, you allowed one of the Jaffa ships to escape the attack. This could jeopardise everything that we are working towards."

"With all due respect sir." The voice said again his face not replacing the information being transmitted, "Two fully armed and operation Ha'taks are a challenge even for an older Asgard vessel, we were fortunate to kill one while crippling the second. The captain of the Minos decided to let it go in return for taking both alien ships from the system."

"Then he's a fool, if he had taken it out then he would have had more than enough time."

"Quiet." The head of the assembled trust commanded, "The Minos' captain was right to do what he did, his orders were to taken the alien ships and get them to home base. He did as he was asked and that is more than enough, now be quiet."

The chastised trust member merely stood up and left the room, the rest of the trust dismissing him without a thought. Turning back to the sphere it flicked back to the captain's face, nodding at the news the head of the trust focussed back on the task at hand.

"What of the wrecks?"

"Both ships are being transported to alternate staging area."

"Alternate area why?"

"Sir." The ship's captain typed something off screen and a report explaining the reasons behind the change in plans came up, quickly digesting the pertinent parts the trust member nodded.

"A good plan, especially if we get two ships out of the deal. Alright captain keep an eye on that ship, however if any Jaffa or other ship comes into the system get out and wait for the Minos we can't afford to lose those ships." The captain of the tug noticed that the man had mentioned nothing about the crews, he signed off quickly leaving the trust to talk amongst themselves.

Most of the assembled men and women were happy with the fact that both ships would soon be in the hands of their pet scientists and their technologies developed for the good of mankind.

And their bottom-line of course.

_**EAS Zeus**_

_**Proxima sector**_

_**Same day**_

The prototype Zeus refit Olympus corvette was an impressive beast of a vessel, the first generation refit with the newly developed variations of the Achilles technologies made the Zeus a powerful vessel in its own right as well as giant step forward in ship designs.

Its mission to Durani station had been delayed by the positive identification of another Minbari scout within Proxima space, it was a lucky scan that had even manage to lock onto the enemy ship during their voyage through Alliance space. It had been three days since the Zeus had picked up the other ship and it was simply awaiting orders from Earthdome before doing anything.

"Commander Sheridan?"

A young dark haired man turned to his console his eyes scanning the readouts. "Still there sir, scans are at minimum power but we have a positive lock on the Minbari ship. These scanners are incredible."

"That they are John, status of ECM system?"

"Our jammers are holding them off, I don't think they can see us at all sir not even a silhouette."

"If they had seen us we'd be dead, keep an eye on the emissions of both ships the second they may look like they've seen us get us out of here and into Proxima space."

"Yes sir, it does look like that ship is not quite up to normal specs of that class."

"What do you mean?"

"At least one of their forward fusion cannons is missing and a slight reduction of signal jamming. Beyond that I don't know why."

"Hypothesis John?"

"They're a refit scout, weapons and defences reduced for more powerful scanners."

"Weapons status?"

"They can't see us and nothing else is in the area, the scanners can't pick up any active weapons however so I think they might be a tad bit overconfident."

"Status of our weapons?

"Missile launchers online, pulse cannons on standby, railguns ready for immediate use."

"Sir." A voice came from behind the two officers, the captain floated to the communications officer.

"What is it Corwin?"

Harold Corwin passed a small datapad to his commanding officer, the Captain looked over the orders. Earthdome had ordered them to stay well back from the other ship until such time as they were told otherwise; to say the Captain was surprised at the reactions of Earthdome was to put it mildly.

"You sure this is authentic Lt?"

"Yes sir, imbedded command codes included."

"Damn it."

"Sir?" Sheridan asked.

"Helm set course for Beta Duranu maximum speed."

"Sir what about the Minbari?" Sheridan asked again.

"We've been ordered to leave the other ship alone Commander, something that Earthdome is cooking up at Proxima. Yeah I know I hate it as much as the rest of you, all right take us to Durani station Mr Sheridan best speed."

"Aye sir, best speed."

The small corvette turned in hyperspace, the Minbari ship it had been following none the wiser for its departure.

_**Traga Nir**_

_**Tigara Class Cruiser**_

_**In hyperspace close to Proxima.**_

The Tigara class ship had been in hyperspace close to the major human world for almost one standard week, their scouting mission had been one of utmost importance for the Grey Council. Proxima was well known by every race to be one of the Earth Alliance's major shipbuilding and refit yards.

Even Durani station and the Jovian shipyards were dwarfed by the huge number of slipways and drydocks that made up the sprawling orbital cities of Proxima Three. From time to time the scout would follow the flows of hyperspace out of the system and drop back into normal space well away from anyone that might see them, it was unfortunate for them that the Alliance were more than capable of seeing them drop into the system.

"Alyt."

"What is it?"

"Scans have shown yet another increase in Earth ships into the system, I believe their fleet presence can only mean one thing."

"There is something here, something they wish to keep secret and safe from our people."

"The newcomers ship?"

"No that ship is at Earth, no force that we can send at this point could break through so many defences. Something else…"

"Our ships Alyt?"

"Explain?"

The junior warrior brought up several mission reports from the crippled Drala Fi after it had returned from the failed attack at Durani, the reports had stated that several of their ships had been captured all but intact while debris of others were gathered up by the humans.

It was not known where the ships had been taken to after that battle but it seemed that they had now been found again, with the newcomers still at Earth there was nothing else that these Earthers would be protecting. They had to be stopped before the humans could unlock the secrets of the Minbari weapons and defences, anything the humans were protecting so much must be destroyed and quickly.

"How many ships did they get?"

"Six intact we know of in three separate battles with the Earthers and the newcomers, plus we believe almost twenty hulls with some intact technology, Alyt they have had these ships now for several of their months it is likely that some of our own weapons will be used against us."

"Understood, they can see us and hurt us even with their own weapons If…"

The entire crew clasped their hands to their ears as an immensely powerful psychic scream rippled across their ship, several of the more Psi oriented crewmembers collapsed in pain falling unconscious while the rest merely collapsed in place until the pain started to ebb away.

Opening his eyes the Alyt felt bloody dripping down his face, lifting a shaking hand he dabbed at the blood streaming from his eyes and his nose. Painfully rising to his knees he checked the scanner officer he had been conversing with, he too was bleeding from various places but was like the rest of them waking up from the pain induced catatonia they had all been subject to.

"Take care, slowly."

"What happened?" the scanner officer asked

"I do not know, it was like nothing that I have ever experienced. Contact all decks find out if the others in the crew were affected by whatever it was."

"Yes Alyt."

Within minutes all across the ship the warriors were checking in from all decks, the news was the same with every report. Dozens of strong and capable warriors had been all but crippled for several minutes because of the unknown attack sent against them, blood was spilt on floors and walls while some of their own had to be restrained or put down like animals as they raged against their own.

Six of the crew were dead, four by the insane actions of two. Both of the lost warriors had been shot and killed by their fellows before they could do any more damage to the others, three more were tied to the beds within the ship's infirmary thrashing and rending their own flesh until they could be put to sleep.

The Alyt looked over the reports from his people and wearily shook his head, this was not supposed to happen to his crew. Warriors were supposed to be stronger and better than any other race or caste, the weakness of the minds of his crew was a stain upon the honour of his ship and clan.

"Alyt we've received transmissions from the other ship in the patrol circuit, everyone is reporting the same problems we had. Most of the ships have lost crew to the same form of insanity that took our people."

"Send a message to the nearest command station, we are leaving our post and request a replacement ship be send quickly. Attach all pertinent data gathered so far, when done connect a private channel to Minbar and send it to my quarters."

"At once Alyt."

"Inform them that the humans may be able to use our own weapons and equipment against us, the station and it's fleet must be destroyed before it grows too powerful. Then have the ship set course for Minbar orbit at maximum speed, I'll be in my quarters."

It was going to be a long few days before they managed to return to Minbar, time that the Alyt would spend finding out what had crippled his ship and why. Someone would pay for this even if it took his last breath.

_**Senator offices.**_

_**Geneva**_

_**Earth Alliance**_

Senator Luis Santiago was sifting through several more of the massed reports on his desk when a sharp pain ripped through his head, he dropped the wad of paper in his hand and grasped his temples and breathed deeply as the wave of agony left him alone.

Opening his eyes he focussed on a small drop of red ink on the top page, one that wasn't there a second ago. A second drop had appeared on the paper next to it, his mind couldn't quite figure out what was creating the ink stains on his paperwork. Touching the second droplet he noticed a third and a forth appear next to his hand, his faculties returning he pressed his finger to his nose coming away with blood.

Taking a handkerchief from his pocket he held it to his nose to stop the stream from continuing, standing up to leave the room he watched the doors open and two of the guards from the outside corridor walk in their guns up and ready. He could see blood coming from their noses as well.

"Senator?"

"What's going on?"

"We don't know sir, orders were to check on everyone in the building."

"Are you gentlemen okay?"

"Yes Sir, just a nosebleed."

"How many others have nosebleeds?"

"Everyone so far sir, but everyone seems to be okay."

"Keep on gentlemen, let me know if you find anything that seems out of the ordinary."

"Yes Sir."

Leaving the room behind them the guards turned the corner to the next office, Santiago left the room directly after them heading for the tram system that would get him to the Earthforce command station. Directly ahead of him two of the Air force officers of the Achilles were awaiting the same tram, he was slightly surprised to see a lack of blood on either of them.

"Lt Kanari, Major Davis."

"Senator Santiago, what happened sir?" Davis asked.

"I don't know I had a pain in my head and then I was bleeding, I'm fine now."

"We saw a few other people with blood coming from their noses, it seems everyone in the area was affected except the Lt and I."

"Why are you here?"

Davis waited until the three of them were seated within the automated car of the tram before speaking. "The two of us had a request from several of the Senators to meet with them, Colonel Taylor agreed and we arrived here a few minutes ago just before people started falling over."

"It was strange though Sir." Kanari said, "Most people had nosebleeds but a few of the secretaries including yours were bleeding from the eyes and mouth and I think the ears, pretty much anywhere I could see. They also stayed down afterwards when everyone else was getting up."

"And neither of you felt anything?"

"No Senator." Davis answered "We were both fine, we were heading for Earthforce operations to contact the Achilles."

"Just as well I found you then." Santiago smiled looking up as the tram stopped "Let's find out what's going on."

The three men disembarked from the vehicle and into the high security corridor that led to the very depths of Earthforce command, they were already sixty meters underground and by the time they were done they would be close to six hundred meters below their current position.

Putting his hand on the Palm/DNA reader Santiago looked into the optical reader above the console, the scanner read his palm and DNA strands while taking a electron photograph of his eye.

"Confirm Identity." A human voice came across a speaker imbedded in the console.

"Santiago, Luis Senator Head of Military Readiness and Expenditure."

"Identity confirmed."

Santiago gestured to the palm reader Davis taking the hint, Silverston walking up behind him.

"Davis, Paul Major Executive officer USAF Achilles, Ambassador to Earth."

"Identity confirmed."

"Kanari, Chona Lt, Alpha Wing, United States Air Force."

"Identity confirmed."

The massive Quantium 40/Titanium/Carbonat armoured doors split down the middle as the twin doors to the lift shaft opened, rated to several hits from a Narn Heavy laser the armoured doors were the first line of defence for the men and women working with the Earthforce Command Centre.

Santiago looked at the two men that accompanied him, they seemed impressed at the obvious power and strength of the door. He smiled and spoke up snatching their attention from the door.

"The majority of the defence system is based on that of the old NORAD defences of the 21st century, I think you might be familiar with the old place." He grinned leading the way into the corridor beyond.

"You could say that Sir." Davis responded following the older man Silverston to his rear, the three continued on to the lift where another series of checks were set in motion. Finally inside the lift they descended, however they were forced a third of the way down to change lifts. During the change over several Earthforce Special Forces personnel forced them through a search and ID check.

Twenty minutes and another four checks later the three of them finally made it to the thick clamshell doors of the control room where a contingent of the EF equivalent of secret service detail stood.

"Gentlemen, Identify yourselves please."

"Senator Luis Santiago, Military Readiness and Expenditure."

"Major Paul Davis, Ambassador, United States Air Force."

"Lt Chona Kanari, United States Air Force."

"Ident cards please."

The three men handed over their cards, the senator's was a well used and looked after piece while the Air force officer were brand new and practically unused having been issued the day before shortly after arriving at Earth Station One.

"Thank you Gentlemen, open the doors." The head of the detail said to one of the others.

The last of the massive doors finally opened up allowing them into the depths of the defence station, inside several of the men and women of the staff were being tended to by medics. Blood was obvious on many faces as well as consoles, at the very centre of the room was the President herself, she turned at the noise of the opening doors and smiled at her friend.

"Luis, good to see you."

"Madam President, what's going on?"

"That's a very good question, Major, Lt what are you doing here?"

"Trying to contact our ship ma'am, you gave us diplomatic access to Earthdome yourself."

"Of course, I'm sorry things are quite hectic."

"No harm, no foul Ma'am." Kanari said, "Aye you alright, you have some blood coming from your nose."

"Same as everyone else Lt, we don't know what happened. Please contact your ship if you would, maybe they picked something up."

_**USAF Achilles**_

_**Earth Station One**_

"No Major we've had nothing happen aboard at all, what seems to be the problem?" Taylor was on duty and sat in her command chair, her Xo's face on a screen in front of her. Davis had been dispatched Earthside to talk to one of the senators but had been waylaid.

The channel had been heavily encrypted with code that the USAF officers had been given by the EA officials, in addition there was no record of the transmission being made they were as secure as they could be.

"We don't know Colonel, however every person we've met so far have had blood coming from their noses. A few others were even worse and seem to be down for the count, there's now why or whereforeall to the people badly hurt and those merely dropped for a few seconds."

"Nothing came up on the scans and we've not had any problem with any of our own people."

"Actually Ma'am I think I've seen something like this before." Kanari said quietly

"Explain Lt?"

"During my initial debrief here I was approached by several men and women claiming to be from one of the more powerful corporations on Earth, they wanted to talk to me about something. I declined and left them, but something strange happened when I left. Two of them were bleeding heavily from their faces while two more seemed to be ready to vomit."

"That's odd." Taylor said.

"Yes sir, Lt Silverston told me something very much like that happened to him."

"Anyone else say anything?"

"No Sir, the Lt said that only one person was bleeding in his meeting with one iof the Senators."

"That makes no sense." Taylor said.

"There might be something Colonel." Davis said straightening a little, "At Durani station we had some interested parties come to the station and them leave shortly afterwards before we even met them."

Psi Corps Taylor thought, "So something happened that made everyone on the planet and possibly in earth space bleed the same way this woman did."

"Not quite Sir." Dennis replied, "Only a few were that bad off, It's possible every one of them were from the same 'corporation'. Whatever hit these people it came from outside."

"But why them and not us?" Davis queried.

"I don't know Sir," Dennis replied, "It hit everyone else and we're just the same as them."

"Keep an eye out down there gentlemen, we'll keep a scan going up here see if we can find anything."

"Yes Sir." Paul replied, "Sir what happened with that unknown signal?"

"Alphas one and two took a squadron of Starfuries out there, we lost contact with them a few minutes ago… stand by Major." She turned to the ship's on duty weapons officer, "When did we lose the fighter's IFF?"

"Exact time, 15:43."

"Major Davis can you get an exact time everyone down there were overcome by this affliction?"

"Stand By Colonel." She could hear some muffled voices as Davis left the camera's view retuning a few seconds later, "We've got a rough time of 15:43 Sir."

"Whatever happened out there hit these people at the same time as we lost contact with the 302s." Taylor said, "Whatever it is they hit it did a lot of damage even this far into the system."

"That's a hell of an attack, we've never seen anything like this even at the SGC."

"We're going to break dock and see if we can find out what happened out there, ready yourself for transport."

"Colonel." Davis interrupted, "It would be prudent for me to stay here for the moment, in addition is it wise to show everything we can do. They don't know about all of our systems."

"Alright Major, both of you stay where you are. We'll let you know what's going on."

"Affirmative Colonel, good luck."

"Thank you Major, Achilles out." She turned to other officer, "Contact Station control request departure window and detach all umbilicals and airlocks."

"Yes Sir. Requesting clearance."

The hastily departure of the Achilles had the station's personnel in a panic, the ship had all but demanded they be allowed out from the secured bay. There was no reason to stop them that they had been told and so with only a few minutes pause the Air force starship was finally pulling away from the bay itself.

"Achilles to Earth Station One."

"C&C online, we have you Achilles."

"Logging flight plan with your people C&C. We'll be back as soon as we've recovered both yours and our people."

"Roger that Achilles, good luck."

"Thank you control."

The starship pulled away from the dock itself and into space, slowly accelerating past the assembled military and civilian ships in Earth space the Achilles moved on out of the war of any possible incoming ships and pushed to full military thrust outstripping any ship that could possibly try to keep up with it.

While the ship's presence was not a well-kept secret even to the civilians of the Earth Alliance due to it's help in so many battles and protection of the people of the EA, it was still a shock to many of the ships in the system as they watched the small ship charge away into the depths of the solar system.

Within a few minutes the Achilles powered down it's engines and slowed down it's headlong charge to their fighter's rescues. The sensors were running a continuous scan looking for their lost fighters, debris from a number of Starfuries and an unknown organic substance were all that could be found.

"Achilles to Alpha Leader or Alpha two come in." Communication tried again, "Alpha One or two this is Achilles come in."

"Comms?"

"Nothing sir, no reading on any of our lost birds."

"Dammit keep on full scans, I want them found."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
"We transported the whole kit and kaboodle into their engine room where there'll be no tribble at all."

**USAF Prometheus  
Achilles Rift  
One day post transition.**

"Sir, we've lost contact with the Choice and its crew," the Ship's XO said.

"Keep trying and have one of the other ships ready a Tel'Tac to go back through."

"Problem, Ronson?"

The ship's commander looked over to the newly arrived General, he pointed to the screen on his monitor knowing O'Neill would look over his shoulder anyway. "Not so much a problem General, we've lost contact with the other ships on the other side of the rift."

"And do we know why?" O'Neill asked

"No Sir. We tried a signal and there was nothing. We're sending a cargo ship through."

"Let me know if anything comes up, Ronson."

"Yes, Sir."

**Warship Minos  
Achilles Rift System**

With a burst of light the Minos dropped from hyperspace and back into the rift system. The Centauri ship had been secreted in the other system and as thought was quite safe from prying eyes. Now they just had to get both ships out of either system or back to home base, well away from the hands of the SGC or their disgusting alien allies.

"Sir, the tugs are still online. No sign yet of the Jaffa reinforcements. We're in the clear."

"Contact the tugs…"

"Sir," the same officer interrupted him. "The lead tug is flashing an emergency call this way."

"Put it on."

"Tug Zero Seven to Minos. Code Three Black Alpha."

"Shit."

The Trust military membership had put together a number of codes that would allow them to know immediately the problems that might stop a salvage operation such as this. "Patch them through."

"Captain, the Prometheus is attempting to contact the ships that were left behind here."

"How? They should have been hundreds of light years away from the rift when we arrived. What is your status?"

"Powered down, Sir. We haven't sent a signal back but with the Jaffa ships gone they might be back."

"No, they won't. They'll send a scout first. Time for us to get out, I think."

"Yes Sir," he tug commander said. "The Minbari ship?"

"We'll pick it up. Have the tugs land immediately." He turned to the other crewmembers and said, "Rig the ship for maximum load, ready weapons as well anything comes through that rift take it out."

"Aye Sir," they chimed.

The Minos settled above the much larger hull of the Minbari ship the energy beams of the tractor system settling into place at prescribed points across the hull. Tugs in place in the belly of the Minos the ship began powering up its systems readying the ship for the much heavier drag of the massive and mostly intact ship.

As they moved to the launch point for the hyperspace window a single cargo ship broke the event horizon of the rift and sped into the system scanning the area the four ships should have been.

"Sir, contact from the rift. We have incoming."

"Identify."

"Tel'Tac cargo ship, shielded variation."

"Main cannon?"

"Dead Sir; main capacitors are dry."

"Divert power from anywhere you can and take them down NOW!"

From the rear of the ship two much smaller weapons swivelled from their position flush with the hull of the Minos. Lights dimmed throughout the ship as a dozen energy pulses spat from the guns towards the unmanned cargo ship. Three of the bolts slammed into the front shields flattening them, the rest speared the helpless craft, blowing it apart.

"Tel'Tac destroyed, Sir."

"Power status?"

"Secondary power only Sir, enough to get us and the other ship to the hiding place. We need a hell of a tune up, Sir."

"Get us out of here maximum speed."

"Aye, Sir."

The Trust starship shifted power from its weapons back into its hyperdrive systems and burst into hyperspace its prize securely attached to its tractor system. By the time the Jaffa returned, was no sign that the ship had ever been there.

**Council Chambers  
Minbar  
Minbari Federation**

"This is outrageous, the humans must have been behind this."

"Take care Coplann," said Terron. The ancient worker Satai, his tired face pinched in slight pain as he stood in the circle. "The humans have never been able to do something like this before and I doubt very much that they would have been able to create such an effective weapon so quickly."

"It caused unrest and panic within our entire people! Every single Minbari felt that attack; hundreds of thousands of our people went insane or died. Some of them killed innocents around them because of this attack. If not the humans then who?"

"That is the question we must ask both ourselves and those around us. Your belief that the humans could have done this is flawed as they would have no way to affect every Minbari in the Federation. We have heard tales that humans have also had these problems but none to the extent of our own." Delenn Responded. "The humans for once are innocent of this crime against our people, they did not perpetrate this attack on us."

"Then who Delenn?" asked Morann.

"I do not know, but until we do, cease encroachment into the Earth Alliance space. Continue probing attacks on their closest military bases, but hold the invasion fleets in our own space. Once we have determined what has happened we will proceed with the attacks. Until then, we wait."

"This is madness! The humans must have been responsible for this; they are the only race foolish enough to test us." Coplann ranted.

"Then why?" asked Delenn. "Why hurt their own people just to test a weapon that might be of harm to us? Whatever it was Coplann it was not the humans that did this."

"You are wrong Delenn, they did this somehow and they will pay! I have already dispatch two hundred of the Warrior Caste's finest vessels to destroy their colony and base at Proxima. They shall pay for their arrogance."

The council looked aghast at their brother member, his face still pale from the injuries taken by the unknown wave that had caused such damage. However, the haughty look on his face belied his belief that his ships would have no such trouble against the human forces they would be up against.

"Have you taken leave of your senses?" shouted Gemann of the workers caste. "Only the council can authorise the use of so many ships in a single engagement. what are you thinking of?"

"We need to teach them once and for all that they must not be allowed to defy us, the chosen of the Vorlons. The heirs of Valen must not be countered by them. Those two hundred ships have been ordered to destroy the human settlement and anything else that they will come up against, not one human will survive their fire. We shall cleanse the humans from the stars for their cold blooded murder of so many of our brothers."

"You are insane Coplann! Recall your ships and surrender your position with the council. You will be escorted to your clansclan's holdings until you are brought before a tribunal..." Delenn began.

"I will not. We are Minbari and we are the rightful leaders of the younger races and I refuse to stand down." He cocked his hand and a single collapsed Denn'bok extended from both sides of his closed fist, the six foot staff twirled in his hands. "We will not bow down to the terrorist actions of the Earthers or anyone else that dares to defy us. Be they Human, Narn, Centauri or even our own people. We must destroy those that would be our enemies those that would join the Shadows, those that must be destroyed to save the rest of us."

Coplann's rant was punctuated by constant sweeps of his weapon to the sides, one swinging close to the council member to his right. Unnoticed to them a slow trickle of blood was streaming from his left ear gaining speed as the rant accelerated.

"Our ships will annihilate every ship, fighter and human they meet once Proxima is gone others will follow. There is nothing that the humans will be able to put together before we destroy Earth as well. You will not shackle the warriors as you have done for so long." The blood was flowing now from his left eye spraying with every word. "We will destroy the Earthers and we will not allow any of you to stop us, the humans are to die it is our destiny and their doom!" He slammed his staff into the ground breaking the ancient rock that made up the floor the Council's meeting chamber.

The blood was now flowing freely from every orifice of his head, eyes, ears, mouth, even the capillaries that fed his head bone were bleeding. "We are the chosen ones, the first and the last, the light of the universe, the... the..."

Crashing to the ground the Minbari started to convulse, blood sprayed from his mouth as the seizures racked his body. Screams were ripped from the man's body as he thrashed around, as suddenly as it started the body ceased, its muscles seizing a last time and going limp.

Approaching him slowly one of his fellow warriors lifted Coplann's head from the floor and dropped it again. The Minbari was dead his face and head covered in his own blood which pooled around him.

"He is dead," said Morann.

"What happened?" asked Gemann.

"I do not know Satai. He is bleeding from every part of his head. Blood vessels must have ruptured through his head."

"The scream?"

"That is a distinct possibility Delenn,Delenn; the bleeding can only have started in his cranium. He showed no signs of any form of extra sensory ability but he may have been latent to an extent, it may have been why he was only affected lightly compared to many of our lost people."

"Then his orders to his ships were while he was delusional."

"We must call them back."

"They were dispatched by a warrior they may not listen to any of us, Morann can you call them back?"

"I shall try. If Coplann ordered them to run under silence then we will not be able to stop them."

"Why should we try?" Sharonn asked. "Those ships will simply destroy the Earthers most populous colony and capable shipyards, it will reduce the time that this war will continue."

"Those ships will be wiped out by the Earthers defences, even if they manage to destroy the colony we will lose those ships."

"They are crewed by warriors, they know what they do."

"Call them back Morann." Gemann said, "We do not expend the lives of our people freely, those ships will be used at the right time and for the right reason."

"Agreed," said Morann, turning to his fellow warrior. "We need to save our ships, the Earthers are getting more advanced technology and we need to train our ships and warriors to fight the humans differently."

"Very well, call them back."

Within a few minutes the chambers had been cleared and the body of the fallen Satai was interned by the Warrior's themselves, the third of their council to be lost to this war. Something that would not have been contemplated even a year ago had come to pass. The humans were fighting back and their greatest warriors were dropping like flies to the humans be it their fault or merely due to their actions.

**LONAW Embassies  
New York  
Earth Alliance**

"We're not interested Councilman," the EA Ambassador stated clearly. "Your people and those races that make up the League were protected and aided against a clearly more powerful and capable enemy. The Alliance saved a great many lives and kept your planets in your hands. We drove the Dilgar back and forced them to surrender. We gave you your freedom and assisted with your rebuilding, yet when we most needed help almost every single one of your races turned their backs."

"But the Markab…"

"The Markab have been feeding us information and supplies and limited technologies for the last few months. The other races that have approached us have been turned away as well. None of you will be getting our technologies nor will any of your races be allowed to cross into our space at any time."

"We are willing to share our technologies with the Earth Alliance as a mutual exchange of information, shielding, gravity manipulation, heavier weapons and reactor systems."

"In exchange for our own technologies and designs, you're a year too late Councilman. If you had been willing to help us out at the beginning then maybe we would have been more receptive to your requests."

"But our forces are mobilizing, many of the League members are sending their forces, thousands of ships are massing on the borders of the Earth Alliance and Minbari Federation. Without your help they will be massacred where they stand we have no way to scan them."

"Just like we didn't councilman; we could not see the Minbari and still we fought. We lost hundreds of ships, tens of thousands of men and women to this race and we kept on fighting. Now we are on equal terms for the first time and you all wish to be returned to our good graces? I think not Councilman, we will fight this war and we will continue to thrive with the few allies that we have and are willing to fight with and that does not include you, your race or most of the League."

"Then you condemn us and yourselves to die at the hands of the Minbari."

"We do nothing of the sort; we made a mistake and are paying for it beyond any sane measure. Your peoples are attempting to ride on our coattails to victory over a race that has kept everyone else in fear and awe for a millennium, every human that has died to date in the war will be remembered for making sure the rest of humanity survives and we don't need help from those who betrayed us before.

"But…"

"Good Day Councilman."

The ambassador stood up and walked out of the room, outside he leant against the wall running his temples. This had been the third of these meetings he had been forced to go through within the last week and it was more than slightly getting to him. Still the request had come from Senator Clark's offices leading to his current predicament.

"You alright David?" David Sheridan looked up at the voice and nodded to the other man.

"I'm fine Luis, thanks."

"I assume it didn't go too well."

"They are desperate now. The league have thousands of ships ready to hit the Minbari flanks and want us to distribute fleet units into their combat groups so they can see the Minbari ships. They also want the technical specs for the new scanners and a few other bits."

"What was their exchange?"

"Technical support, war with the Minbari and a lot of credits from across the league. As a goodwill gesture they are going to increase the Alliance credit's status by double."

"That puts our money situation close to what it was before the war began."

"I know, however we turned them down as requested."

"I sure as hell hope Marie knows what she's doing David. Or we could be in the crapper before this is all over."

"Yeah, I hope so too for all our sakes."

"So what now?" Santiago asked

"Now I meet with that air force Major Davis about this treaty we are putting together."

"That's why I'm here. The Achilles has been forced to deploy and Davis and his people are awaiting you downstairs."

"As in...?" he asked.

"As in, we don't want too much getting out so I came up to get you."

**USAF Prometheus.**

"Shit," said one of the bridge officers

"Captain?"

"Sorry Sir. The Tel'tac went through the rift and exploded as it passed through. We don't know what happened."

"Scans?"

"Negative Sir. The interference hadn't cleared before she went up. I could have been the shields collapsing."

"More problems Ronson?" O'Neill asked from the hatchway

"Yes Sir. We just lost one cargo ship we sent through. It exploded just as she transferred through."

"Same reason we lost the signal earlier?"

"I don't know, Sir. The rift was riled up so no scans got through; I'm loath to send another ship until we can figure out what's going on the other side."

"So we're still stuck here?"

"Unless you want to leave one of the Jaffa ships to continue, Sir, we are."

"We all go or none at all, Colonel. What's the status on communications?"

"That's the good news, Sir, the interference in the comm. Frequencies has dissipated we are clear to broadcast."

"Then open up a channel and send out on SGC frequencies."

Ronson nodded to the communications officer who in turn opened up the subspace transmissions.

"USAF Achilles, this is General O'Neill aboard USAF Prometheus come in please."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"What's that coming out of her nose?"

"Spaceballs!"

"Oh Shit there goes the planet."

_**USAF Achilles**_

_**Outer Solar System**_

The Achilles cruised at the bare minimum of her rated speed, the remaining few 302 fighters and a detachment of EA corvettes scanned the area for the lost fighters of the recon squadron. Already a number of crippled Starfuries and their unconscious pilots had been found by the Earth based ships, in addition a strange organic debris field had been found.

"Helm, status?"

"Not much Colonel. The explosion left a lot of radiation and debris but I am reading evidence of the detonation of several Naquada enhanced nukes; can't get much more than that from the background radiation."

"So this thing whatever it was took a couple of fighter nukes and exploded."

"Yes Sir and recently. The scans are inconclusive but there's nothing in our database or the Corvettes that can identify this debris. All we can get is its organic and very old."

"Keep on it, Captain."

"Aye Sir."

"Colonel, there's a message from the Corvette Jervis Bay. They've picked up the last of the damaged Starfuries. They've found Alpha two, the fighter's been destroyed."

"Bodies?"

"None found Sir. Alpha one is still missing."

"Continue the search and ready a team to transport to the Corvette to retrieve the flight recorders."

"The debris?"

"There's nothing there that the Alliance won't have better versions of. Tell the team to keep a scan for Naquada and that's all."

"Yes Sir."

Taylor left the bridge heading for the engineering decks, down below the decks had been inhabited after the scramming of the reactors. Already every single system in the ship was in working order with nothing seeming to have been responsible for the loss of power before their forced removal from Station one.

"Chief, how's she doing?"

"A word Colonel; in private, if you would."

The colonel followed the Chief engineer into what was affectionately named 'The Chief's Office', little more than a small and refurbished supply room the two chairs and desk were surrounded by spares, equipment and the chief's private and high unauthorized coffee machine. "What's wrong, Chief?"

Picking up a small box from his desk he threw it gently at the Colonel who plucked it from the air. Matt black and smaller than a pack of cigarettes, the small device looked innocuous.

"It's a scanner/transmitter Colonel. Someone put that on the shielding of the power distribution conduits two decks down."

"Is this what knocked out our reactors?"

"We stripped the reactors down completely before we left Durani Station then went through whatever was left when we arrived at station one. Both reactors were fine until this was activated."

"But how the hell did this thing kill our systems?"

"It interfered with some of the control systems. The control crystals in the secondary power transfer conduits were interrupted shutting down the reactors because of it. The crystals are being re-shielded as we speak, but we weren't expecting anything to hit us from the inside, so it'll take time."

"I don't recognize the design at all, what is it Earthforce?"

"I think so. It might have been put there the same time as the scanner on the reactors found one and overlooked the other, or might have been put there recently. I just don't know."

"How many Earthforce people have been aboard since we got to earth?"

"Seven, including your friend in the mess hall that; Morden guy."

"He's not been close enough to the engines to get anything there. He's only been aboard a few hours."

"That may be Sir, but we don't know who did it or when. I'm recommending a continual watch on our new liaison and internal scans with everything we've got, and see if anything else can be found. There's more however, I think the reason that it killed the reactors was it transmitted whatever it scanned causing the crystal shorts."

"How much could it have gotten?"

"Until I get the chance to take it apart I won't know, but it's more than likely they got a look at the Naquada reactors, the remains of the Asgard Hyperdrive and some of our control systems. Apart from that anything in the rear third of the ship is likely to be compromised from the engines to the shields to the Asgard weapons."

"Find out Chief. If they have the specs to those systems all hell will break loose."

"I'll try Colonel but I can't promise anything."

"I know Chief, but I need to know what we're up against and who did this to my ship."

"Aye, Sir."

"What about the rest of the ship?"

"Repairs are coming along now the reactors are back in shape. The damaged crystals have been replaced with spare computers we've managed to get from the Alliance. Damaged sections are fully repaired, outer armor is being replaced but we're still not done with it quite yet."

"Weapons status?"

"Railguns are up and fully loaded, it's been pretty easy to get new ammunition made by the Alliance from their scrap armour. Missiles are under strength until we get something sorted out with the Alliance armories and the shields generators are heavily damaged as well. We're still trying to fix it."

"What about our 'supplies'?"

"The bays are still full Colonel. There's something that you should know. It's taken us a while but we've found that Naquada may exist in this reality."

"Colonel Taylor to the Bridge, repeat Colonel Taylor. To the Bridge immediately."

The speaker above her head silenced as Taylor looked up. Turning to the Chief she replaced the small transmitter on the table.

"Hold that thought; get the information on that transmitter and this Naquada theory to me as soon as possible Chief."

"Yes, Sir."

_**Bridge**_

_**USAF Achilles**_

"This better be good, Captain."

"Sir, we're receiving a coded signal."

"Coded? Have they found our missing fighter?"

"No, Sir! It's not from the Alliance ships; it's a cipher coming over subspace channel Red Omega One."

"Red One? That's Fleet ship to ship! Let's hear it."

"_USAF Achilles, this is General O'Neill aboard USAF Prometheus come in please." _A very familiar voice came from the bridge speakers, _"Achilles this is Prometheus please come in."_

"Holy shit, they've found us?" queried one crewman.

"Prometheus? I thought she was still in repair drydock," the comms officer said to the Colonel.

"Apparently not anymore. Open Alpha one."

"Open."

"Prometheus this is Achilles, It's good to hear you General."

"_Colonel Taylor, glad to see you're still alive."_

"Glad to still be alive, Sir."

"Status report."

"Achilles is damaged but intact, Sir. Some assistance has been garnered to repair damages but several systems are completely down and unable to be repaired. A full crew and ship status report is being transmitted to you now." She motioned to the comms officer to send the signal. "It's good to know we're not stuck here. Sir, what's your position?"

"We're near the rift that apparently you opened up Colonel, we're escorted by a number of Free Jaffa vessels that were in the area. We're kind of stuck here for the moment because of some trouble the other side. We should be with you in a day or so."

"Sir we're currently being helped out by a power on this side of the rift, we think we'll need to let them know your ships are coming in however."

"Alright Colonel, let us know when it's been sorted out."

"Will do Prometheus."

"Glad you are still in one piece-Prometheus out." Turning to the comms officer she ordered the shipwide system to be activated. "All Crew this is the Captain. As of a few moments ago this ship received a message from another ship. The other ships of the Air Force fleet plus several Jaffa allies discovered the hole in space we evidently fell through and sent a rescue party. The Prometheus and a number of Ha'taks will be on their way to Earth Alliance territory within the next day or so, it looks like we're going home."

Muted by the doors and walls the cheers and screams from the lost crew was still clearly audible to the bridge staff. Each of the bridge crew while still diligently working at their tasks seemed happier and much more comfortable now they knew they would be getting home.

"Anything from the Corvettes?"

"Negative Sir. No sign of Alpha one."

"Alright continue scans, I want him found before the Prometheus gets here."

_**USAF Prometheus.**_

_**A few minutes later.**_

"So what's their status, Carter?"

"Not too good Sir. They were ambushed as we thought by a pair of Ha'tak vessels in the same system we found the rift. No idents confirmed though."

"Pirates?"

"Possibly. We've seen a few of them."

"What else?"

"They were forced to eject some of their Naquada cargo. It's possible that it is was what caused the rift in the first place. We already know Naquada can be used to dimension travel this just created some kind of permanent rip in space time. They are lucky they survived relatively intact."

"How bad off are they?"

"The Achilles had damage to their shielding systems from the original trip through. Apparently they can't get more than three quarters of maximum power without straining the generators and blowing the crystals and their spares are depleted as well. All weapons are active but they are down to thirty percent of missile reserves. But hopefully they are going to be able to replace them with local versions. More than a quarter of the point defences are gone due to battle damage and several sections of the hull have taken massive damage leading to explosive decompression in several areas."

"That can't be good."

"No Sir it's not. The Achilles hull is up to eighty percent stability thanks to help from the locals. They've lost part of their starboard nacelle including a single engine and one of the heavy missile launchers. But unfortunately Sir the damage they've taken to the hull is not the worst of it."

"There's worse?" O'Neill mused. "What prey tell is worse than all of that?"

"Their hyperdrive is crippled they can't repair it."

"That would count."

"We don't have the spares to replace the Asgard systems aboard the Achilles. We can pull them into hyperspace but it'll be a hell of a strain on our own energy supplies not to mention the drives themselves."

"Let's just get to them first then we'll figure it out. Now calm down Carter that's an order."

"Yes, Sir."

"What else did we get?"

"Some basics of the surrounding space, the powers of this universe and technology insofar as they have been able to get. The last section… is a casualty list, Sir."

O'Neill took a breath and nodded. "How bad is it?"

"Six pilots' dead, two missing, and thirty two dead or injured crewmembers."

"Two missing?"

"Yes, Sir. That's apparently what the Achilles was looking for before they contacted us; their lost fighter."

"So they've got an F-302 floating around somewhere in outer space and they can't find them. What happened to all those safety features you and this brainiacs down at Area 51 were blabbering on about, Shouldn't one of those have kicked in saying 'we're here come and get us'?"

"Yes, Sir, it should. But it's possible that it was disabled in combat."

"No secondary beacons?"

"No, Sir. The first should have been enough, we were forced to omit some of the secondary systems through budget problems."

"Kinsey?"

"Kinsey."

"One day I'm going to throw that guy out an airlock without a suit while in hyperspace." Jack closed his eyes then looked back up. "Alright, once we get the cargo ship through and back, contact the other ships and tell them we're heading for the Earth of this reality. Let me know when the Achilles gets back to us about it."

"Yes, Sir.

"Send a signal with the cargo ship, get the SGC to contact Thor he'll be the best guy to help us fix the Achilles' drives. Just make sure to get him the info about that rift maybe he can figure something out with that big brain of his, no offence Carter."

"None taken."

"Meanwhile, I'll get Ronson to get Daniel and Teal'c over here. We may need them if we're doing some diplomatic stuff again. I'm sure Daniel will be happy when we meet this Earth Alliance lot.

"I'll bet Sir. And what will you be doing?"

"Lunch, I'm hungry."

_**Tara'Mir**_

_**Sharlin Class Warcruiser**_

_**Flagship Minbari Assault Fleet**_

The Minbari fleet had been traveling through hyperspace since their orders from the Satai had been verified. Two hundred of the most powerful vessels in the Minbari warrior fleet had been assembled for this attack. Fighters and fliers had been equipped with the most powerful weapons available.

Missiles and bombs unused by the fleet for many years were loaded and readied for combat. Thirty Sharlins escorted by over one hundred and seventy escort vessels numbering Tigaras, Tinashis and Sholigans amongst their numbers comprised the heaviest concentration of ships in this section of the front lines. Now the entire group were headed for the battlefield and one that they knew would be worthy of their fire and of their blood.

At the very forefront of the fleet was the clan flagship of the Star Knives. Unlike their brothers in the Star Riders or other clans, the majority of their own forces congregated around smaller and faster ships for fast attack and destruction than the more steamroller effect fleets of Sharlins would have on their enemies.

Their time had come and with the final hours counting down the last message from their Satai arrived, orders which caused the entire long range communications to shut down only minutes before another more urgent message would reach them from the Grey Council themselves.

"Shai Alyt, our ships have assumed battle formations."

Shai Alyt Vel'rann turned to his subordinates and nodded "Have all fighter squadrons on continuous patrol, when we jump they are to stay in their assigned groups and hit every enemy vessel they can and hard. These Earthers may be able to see through our stealth systems now."

"Then you believe it is true, the humans are beginning to be a challenge for our forces?"

"Yes I do. I was at the dock with this very ship when the ruin of what had once been the Drala Fi was brought in. The pride of our Navy suitable only for scrap and spare parts after combat with the Earthers and their new allies; as such I refuse to underestimate these Earthers like several of the others have."

"Then you no longer believe we can defeat them."

"Defeat them maybe, beat them possibly; but they won't stop and they will keep coming until either they are dead or we are. Even if this war ended tomorrow the fight would continue and the humans would come for us again in ten, twenty, thirty of their years to end this. At that point they would come to destroy us and I believe that given time they could do and very easily."

"But we have strode the stars for a thousand years, we have defeated any of those who would challenge us. Every race is in awe of our power and skills, how could these humans do anything to our people?"

"Have you not been paying attention to what goes on here my friend. Hundreds of ships have been lost against the earthers where none would have been against the other younger races. One hundred years is all it has taken for the humans to rise from their homeworld and carve out an empire as large as any bar the Centauri, or our own both of which are one thousand years old or more. They defeat any race who has threatened them, the Narn the League, the Dilgar. And now they stall our progress with their haphazard ships and brittle armors but still they come. Every race respects the Humans for their endeavors

"Yet none will assist them even now," the second spoke up. "The other races are too afraid of us to even help those who saved them before."

"We know the Narn are selling them technology based on Centauri designs. They do what they do for money and power and this is an ample opportunity for them. However, I do not believe many of our brothers will allow this slight to continue."

"Then the Narn will be next?"

"It is likely my friend and it will be a mistake as is this continuing conflict."

"But you said that…"

"Yes I did. One day, it will be either be us or the humans that are left and I am not sure which of us it will be in the end. The fact that these humans have been able to come so far and have now been able to hold our forces at bay leads me to believe that the arrogance of our people may be our downfall."

"Vel'rann, we have known each other a very long time but I must disagree with you. The humans while possibly strong and much less the barbarians we believed them to be originally, are incapable of defeating us as we are now. Their technology and numbers are inferior and all but useless against us."

"Then what do you call the loss of thousands of our greatest warriors, lost to the Earthers and their weapons? Hundreds of ships destroyed and their debris sifted through like refuse to be used against us when they can. Their ability to see through our stealth and bring to bare an immense mount of firepower at any one time means that the most powerful of our ships can only hold on alone for so long."

"Once this war is over then our remaining warriors will be hardened and capable, a match for any race that may come against us."

"Then you do not believe in the oncoming darkness of the enemy."

"I do. I believe that we will be ready for them when they come."

"I hope that you will be correct my friend, if the darkness is indeed coming then we will need every warrior and ever skill we can muster to defend against them. We must hope that this war will not destroy all of our greatest and most capable warriors for if they do we shall be lost against the Shadows when they arrive."

"We shall be ready Alyt. We may not live to see it but our people shall endure and shall prevail against the humans. It is only right and it is in our destiny to lead the races against the darkness as we did so many years ago."

"I do believe that we may be making a mistake with our continued campaign against the Earthers, but we do what we do by our orders and in the name of Dukhat. May be fight and die well."

The Shai Alyt looked from his friend and returned his attention to the encircling tactical readout that the holographic systems had brought around him. Each of the task forces were set up for their tasks, quick attack ships were paired with entire fighter wings for mutual protection while the larger and more powerful ships congregated as the hammer of their force.

His forces knew that many of them if not all were to die this day, but their leaders had bid them to fight the earthers until they or the humans were destroyed. For the moment however they were merely awaiting their orders to begin the assault, something that many of their brothers in the fleet were thirsting for while others were afraid of what could come of the incoming battle.

"Shai Alyt, the fleet is ready and we are within striking distance of the Proxima system. As believed the entire system is blanketed by a form of electromagnetic interference. We will not be able to use out hyperspace vortexes as a first strike as we have before, our scans will not be able to lock onto the enemy vessels."

"Very well. We shall have to do this the hard way, ready all ships for jump we shall have to fight them face to face as it should be."

"Yes Alyt." The warrior turned and gave the orders

"The time has come my friend," the Alyt spoke to his friend. "We stand against the darkness, we stand against the enemy we stand before the gates of the barbarians and we shall prevail or we shall die."

"All ships are ready for jump, Alyt."

"Send the order all ships. Jump."

In the depths of the outer Proxima system dozens of jump points blossomed into life, followed by the exit of hundreds of assorted warships and fighters. No ships were in the area to see them. For the Minbari it seemed their sneak attack would be just that, nothing would stop their attack.

_**Senators Offices**_

_**Earth Dome**_

"It's stopped transmitting."

"How much did we get?"

"Not enough. Their internal shielding was sufficient to block the majority of our scans. We got engine and internal systems information from it plus some of their reactor assemblies, but nothing we hadn't already bargained for."

Clark's hand slammed down onto the table, his anger evident to his lackeys. The others around him knew that they needed the technology that the Achilles had to defeat the Minbari and to bring the Alliance to heel.

The aliens that were out there would soon pay for their insolence in leaving the EA to die while they cowered behind their borders. Once the technology was in their hands then they would have little to no problem making sure they were the big dogs in the Orion sector. "You got nothing at all?"

"No, Sir. Their shielding, energy weapons and FTL systems are all too well shielded."

"We need that technology and quickly. Bester what happened to your people."

The Psi cop leaned forward and looked at the senator; the others in the room could tell that the little man was not happy with his lot. The almost crippling of the entire Psi-corps by whatever it was that had hit the entire planet and beyond, had scared and infuriated the Corps higher ups.

"Their trap at Io station was successful. The explosions were exactly what we wanted, when we wanted. The casualties were particularly high and the fact that it is being blamed on these 'Followers of the One' merely helps in our cause. We managed to have the Achilles transferred here and within reach of our forces."

"And the attempts to read their crew members?"

"We have been completely unable to read even one of their people. In fact, while many of my people have suffered the unfortunate effects of the event, we have already seen some are in fact, much worse off than before. I do not know what is causing it or why, but I cannot allow any more of my telepaths to go through this again, especially not after every one of us was floored by this wave that's effected the entire planet."

"You will do as you are ordered Bester." Clark said, "However I agree that it is a waste of time to try again at this time, but I want you to find a way around this block and quickly."

"We do as we wish _Senator,_" Bester retorted. "As such I will do as you ask anyway, but do not think that you have control over the Psi corps. We are no-ones toys."

"Enough, the pair of you," a third member of their little group spoke. "The Achilles is now within Station One. We will never be able to take the technology we desire while they are within orbit of Earth. We would be executed as traitors or spies by either side and without the telepaths, things will not be nearly as easy as we wish it to be."

"Then we wait, we wait until the right time," said Bester. "The Achilles crew will become convinced they are safe and secure, and the second they do we will be able to take their ship and their technology for the good of the Alliance."

_And mostly for the good of telepaths._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six  
"What starts with come here and ends in Ow?"  
**

**Vorlon Homeworld**

**Vorlon Space**

The entire Vorlon race shuddered as a scream echoed throughout their collective consciousness; a violent and deliberate death rattle that would have done much damage to those attacking their brother. The reverberation would hit every race that had been gifted by the Vorlons, the humans, the Minbari, the Centauri even those few Narn that still held what remained of those gifts in their genetics

"Who dares to defy the will of the Vorlon race?" defined a collective scream from many of them. "Who dares to attack our brother?"

Deep within the planet itself the beings who called themselves the Vorlon High Council felt the scream in every cell of their body and in every erg of their energy. The oldest and wisest of their race these Vorlons had been responsible for everything their empire had done for many millions of years. Now, however they had discovered something that did not believe could happen.

A scout ship destroyed in seconds – no distress call or data dump had been transmitted by their ship in the Earther's space. No Earth Alliance ship could have seen them or destroyed the vessel; therefore in their minds only one group could have been responsible for the destruction of their ship so quickly.

The newcomers.

They must have been responsible for the attack on the Vorlon ship. They were more powerful than the council had realised. The Vorlons had seen the Minbari records and had studied the long range scans from their own ships. Even so, the newcomer's defences had blocked a large percentage of their scans to date.

"Detach a flight group to the Earther's space. Find out how they destroyed the scout sent to watch over their system."

"It will take several days to recall the ships and sent them to the Earther's home system. In addition they may be detected by the newcomers scans or those of the Earther's updated systems."

"All ships to be under stealth and at minimum power when they reach the Earther's borders, we shall see how they destroyed our brother. They can not be allowed to continue to interfere."

"What of our children? We advised them to merely watch and learn."

"They will do as they are told. We also will watch and learn from our mistakes. We will not underestimate those that can destroy our ships with impunity; we are not like the others. We will watch, learn and do what we must to keep the circle complete. These newcomers are merely a new cog in the process, nothing more. Indeed, they could be quite useful to us when the time comes. But for now we must know what has happened and why. Send the ships when they arrive and be wary of the others. They will have heard the scream themselves."

Earthdome Military Operations Command  
Geneva  
Earth Alliance

The operations command was in a panic, in less than a day there had been what could only amount to a spy raid, an attack on the people of the Alliance and loss of an Allied fighter group within their very star system. Every single station was double manned and the military readiness had gone up to maximum, the entire remaining home fleet was mobilizing to stand guard around the perimeter of the system.

There were no where near enough ships and fighters to do so, but for the moment it would appease the populace and allow Earthforce to continue operating without any problems with the senate and any of the oversight committees that had sprung up over the last few years.

It had taken time but ships and fighters had also reinforced the Achilles and it's small corvette force for the search and rescue of their lost fighter, already six more squadrons of Starfuries and a half dozen heavy cruisers were searching in an ever increasing area around the system.

However they could do little but wait for their people to report in, already senators and some officers had complained the cost and usage of so many ships to look for a single fighter and its crew.

For now however the military minds refused to stop the assistance of their ships in fear of angering the Achilles and jeopardizing the treaty being hammered out between the two powers. Senator Clark surprisingly had been most adamant in continuing the search for the two pilots.

"Gentlemen the request was quite clear, our technical specification for artificial gravity plus weapons and control systems for a number of warships and auxiliaries to keep them intact and functional for up to three years. This was agreed upon and you already have four systems that we offered with two more under examination by both sides."

"We understand that Major Davis," General Harris spoke. "However we wish to trade for more of your technologies than these basic systems."

"And as I have explained I do not have the authority to do so, neither myself nor Colonel Taylor are allowed to barter technology past the basic system that you now have. The limited agreement we had was for four Nova Class Dreadnaughts, Six Hyperion Class Cruisers and a number of smaller vessels to be dispatched to the rift at such time as they can be spared."

"That agreement will be kept Major," Ambassador Sheridan said. "We just wish to know if we can deal for the more powerful technologies that you have in your possession. Your shielding and energy weapons would be vital to our continued existence in this sector of space."

"Once again Ambassador, we can not give you that information as it is not ours to give, our major offensive and defensive systems are based on technology given to us by an allied race. As such our own treaties with them require us to continue to keep those technologies to ourselves, if and when we are allowed to the rest of the ship's systems will be available to you but for the foreseeable future we can not and will not share that technology with you that we are not allowed to."

"This is ridiculous," Harris spoke. "That technology could be all that stands between us and the rest of the alien races around here, as other humans you must know that many of them can't be trusted…"

"General," Davis interrupted. "In our travels we have met several alien races including some that have decided we're worth little more that as slaves, however in that same time we have met a number of aliens that have been cordial and at some points downright helpful to us. Your belief that every race is against you is not one that I share, I know that you have had and still have several allies in this area of space…."

"The races in this area of space are little more than vultures, Major," sneered Harris. "The second we lose this war they will grab every ship, every colony, every piece of human tech and resource they can steal or extort out of our people. Already the Centauri and Narn are charging us outrageous costs for their help, the Narn scavenged their technology and are making others pay through the nose for it."

"They did have to fight their way free of a much stronger enemy General," Davis said. "Much of our own technology is stolen or reverse engineered from alien ships and weapons, those technologies we are happy to share. However like your most top secret systems there are some that we just can not and will not share with your government, the majority of your own ships are built on donated, bought or downright stolen technologies that you have acquired."

"We have done what we have had to keep the Alliance alive and safe, we have fought for a hundred years to get to our position in the galaxy and I will be damned if I let the Minbari or some bureaucratic little dipshit of a Major stop us from doing so. Your allegiance as a human should be to this world and your people."

"General." Davis spoke quietly, "My allegiance is to the United States of America, its government and its people and by point of my current posting to that of that of my home planet of Earth. As much as this one looks and seems to be it, it is not my home planet and I have sworn no oath to the Alliance or this planet."

"This planet is the centre of all humans in this Galaxy, our authority stretches to all humans in the Alliance even the traitors on Mars who refuse to help against the Minbari. You are within our borders and you are here at our sufferance."

"We are here because you want our help, now this is the final time I will say this General so listen carefully. I do not have the authority to do this; my commanding officer does not, neither does his Command in Chief. At the moment we need the Asgard back home more than we need you and I doubt that antagonizing the Asgard by selling their technology to others will appease them at all."

"Aliens should have no say in the workings of Human worlds. We should be allowed to decide our own destiny without outside interference. You have allowed the actions of you so called Alien allies to dictate how and when you use the technologies that are rightfully yours to use. Your weapons and shielding seem impossible to our minds but your people have it now and could use it to wipe out the respective enemies of our peoples."

"We have been authorized to grant a much larger number of ships plus technology and shipyard designs to your people in return for these weapons and defenses." Sheridan said. "Up to a full front line battle fleet of sixty assorted ships plus a battle groups worth of tenders and supplies for up to five years all available after we end this war. As it is you are unable to leave this area of space and as such you will need a certain amount of trade with us in order for your people to survive."

"Is that a threat Ambassador?" asked Davis.

"Not in the slightest Major," The General spoke instead. "But the longer you are here and the more supplies and equipment you use the less your credit will be worth to us. More technology will confirm your people will be well cared for and your ship returned to maximum capability."

"For the moment, our ship is as close to maximum capability as we can make it using local technologies. The technologies we have can and will change the balance of power in this area of the galaxy. We will in no way shape or form allow such a shift to happen if we can help it. If we sell any form of shielding to you then we will sell it to the other races in the immediate area. However there is little to no reason for us to do so. I suggest you keep the credit we have for upkeep continued for both our sakes."

Davis was himself interrupted by his own attaché as the young pilot rejoined them, whispering him his ear Davis nodded and stood up.

"My apologies gentlemen but a message has come through from the Achilles that I must acknowledge, please excuse me."

A few seconds later Davis found himself in the small booth that the secured line to the Achilles had been situated within, although under no illusions that the line was tapped he activated the screen.

"Colonel."

"Major, how goes the talks?"

"Not too well Sir, the Alliance is trying to push us into giving them access to shields and the Asgard weapon. I have told them several times that we do not have the authority to do so, however they do not seem to want to listen."

"I assume they want what we can give them and then even more?"

"Yes Sir, they will honor our agreements but refuse to believe that they can't entice us to sell them the Asgard based systems. At this rate we may end up not only on their bad side but also withdraw a certain amount of supplies needed to keep the ship operational."

"We may not have to continue with the talks for too much longer Paul, we just received a message from the Prometheus. A rescue task force has arrived through the same rift we came through and will be with us within a day or so."

"They found out how we came through?"

"Yes a rift has appeared in the same system we were attacked in by the rogue Jaffa ships, they came through with a few free Jaffa Ha'taks, they should be with us with a day or so."

"The Prometheus, she should still be in dry dock under repair."

"Looks like they wanted to find us and quickly, the Ha'taks that are with the Prometheus were part of a search and rescue fleet dispatched to find us. With any luck we'll be able to get the Achilles back in order quickly."

"That's pretty good news Colonel, who's commanding the force."

"General O'Neill."

"Any idea if Doctor Jackson is onboard?"

"No I don't but it's more than likely SG1 is with the General, I assume it's so you can get some help with the talks."

"Yes Sir. With these people I think I'm going to need all the help I can get."

Unknown to either of the participants a technician within the command centre was carefully setting up a scrambled and coded message from her workstation. Her job done she turned back to her duties, the rest of the staff none the wiser.

Proxima Station Beta  
Outer System Limits  
Proxima System.

Beta Station had been designed and built during the early years of the Dilgar war as a long range surveillance and control station to accompany Proxima Station itself, it lay hidden and almost invisible at the edges of the system itself. No alien race had yet discovered it; no one had ever lived to see it once they had. Pirates, raiders, civilians all had been rounded up if they had seen the station and incarcerated.

Now, however its importance came into play once more as its newly updated Achilles type scanners picked up the flares of a number of jump points. Their local hyperspace satellites had been destroyed days before meaning that this was the first time that the Proximan military forces had known they were under attack.  
It took seconds for the information to work its way back to the Proxima defense stations, already expected due to their knowledge of the Minbari stealth spy ships they had picked up.

The ships of the defense forces, backed up by the massive reinforcements of EarthForce's third fleet, were already assembled with this foreknowledge. Yet more ships had been rushed into lace from the few yards that had had completed ships. Hundreds of ships stood ready for the incoming enemy ships.

"Status Major?" General Franklin asked, looking at the massive screen informing him of his command's status and positions. The command centre was packed with technicians, tacticians, engineers and damage control parties. Buried hundreds of meters into the interior of the major moon of Proxima three this was the safest and most well defended area of the system.

"Sir, all ships are at predetermined positions. Beta station has given us the exact course and speed of the Minbari forces, one hour and closing."

"The jamming worked?"

"Yes Sir, it worked perfectly. They couldn't jump in directly. I doubt they even know the exact positions of all our ships."

"Excellent," Franklin responded. "Continue scans and have all ship on standby alert let them come to us."

"Reading enemy fighter units staying with their escort ships. They aren't coming through first."

"Hmm-a cautious Minbari commander, a novelty. Patch me through to the Olympus squadrons."

"Yes Sir, channel open."

"Captain Dodge, this is Proxima Actual status report."

EAS Achilles  
Olympus Class Corvette  
Flagship 'Ringer' wing

The Olympus class ships of the Ringer wing were situated at the very edge of the defensive positions close to the fleet, already armed and upgraded with the newest technologies available to the EA these ships were the first line of defence for the Colony and its people.

"This is Achilles. Dodge here, General."

"Status on your wing."

"All ships ready for action Sir. Squadrons three and four are dispersing to predetermined positions."

"Your thoughts on your ships, Captain?"

"I'm not so sure on some of the upgrades we have installed Sir. The scanners are good but I don't like going out with untried weapons and systems."

"Not much of a choice Dodge. We have over two hundred ships plus fighters baring down so I hope your people will be ready."

"We'll be ready Sir; they won't know what hit them."

"Stay close to the Oracle groups until you are signaled otherwise they'll need the protection."

"Understood."

"Good luck and good hunting Tom."

"You too Sir, Achilles out."

The display screen returned to the ship placement information allowing the general to continue his work. Most of the ships were at full readiness with several task forces taking position inside hyperspace awaiting their orders to jump into the fight.

"All positions launch fighters screen."

The remaining fighters of the garrison began their magnum launches across the system. From the latest Aurora to the next generation prototypes to the older nova class fighters the entire system's fighter group was launched.

"Minbari ships at thirty minutes to contact."

"Position?"

"Between fields five and seven last of their ships now entering range."

"Activate the mines, ready _Suckerpunch_."

"Mines are going active and locking on."

As the Minbari ships continued their advance into the Proxima system, the ECM of the Human ships became more intense. Already the Minbari scanners were down to fifty percent efficiency and holding. To the minds, still more than enough to fight the humans that protected their worlds, the three hundred ships within view were a force to be reckoned with especially with the possibility of other ships out of the purview. The first five ships exploded concurrently as several nuclear mines slammed into their hulls piercing through shielding and armour and annihilating ship and crew alike. Two megaton bombs swarmed the fleet some blasted by point defenses while others were stopped by suicide intercepts by fighters. Damaged ships fell out of formation trailing debris and energy leaking from their hulls. Those that were no longer under power, shattered as more nuclear weapons detonated around them, flashes blinding pilots and cooking crews inside their vessels as the heavy radiation broke through the crystalline hulls of the smaller ships and all but annihilated the fighters striving to cease the attacks on their home ships.

As quickly as the attack started they stopped, the majority of the mines in the area had been shot down or detonated by the Minbari; their losses however were catastrophic in the extreme.

Thousands were dead or dying their ships battered and broken, a dozen cruisers and escorts now completely destroyed. Their fighter screen eradicated by the minefield. The surviving ships were forced to slow down debris and hard radiation making for dangerous travel through the edges of the field.

"They didn't see the Mines, Sir. The ECM works."

"Ready Suckerpunch, all ships go to active scans light them up," Franklin ordered.

"Suckerpunch Aye, all ships scanning and we have full resolution on the nearest enemy ships."

"Launch Suckerpunch."

Tara'Mir  
Minbari Flagship

Shai Alyt Vel'rann picked himself up from over the body of his second in command. The younger Minbari's crest was smashed and forced through the skull into his brain. The pool of blood surrounding his head paid heed to the damage he had taken from the collision with their closest escort.

His ship was a mess. They were not yet engaged in combat and his forces were quite disarrayed and badly depleted on the flanks. Their fighter escorts were either dead or in bad condition. Only a few full squadrons remained within their ranks with some smaller flights being pulled together to form complete groups.

"Damage report."

"We have taken a collision with one of our escorts; twenty percent of the ship has been compromised. Weapons and Engines are unaffected; fighter bays are destroyed and we have more than a third casualties ship wide."

"It seems that they are learning how to fight us on equal terms. Have a guard remove the Alyt's body from the bridge we shall honor our dead at the appropriate time."

"Yes Shai Alyt."

"Status of our ships."

"More than twelve of our ships have been destroyed, six more heavily damaged. Fighter screens are depleted, all other ships are still at combat effectiveness."

"Continue maximum capacity scans, I don't want any more surprises like that."

"Reading something Shai Alyt, I can not make it out through the jamming however."

"Explain."

"The electronic countermeasures that the Earthers are using are severely reducing our ability to spot smaller objects. Their minefields are small enough to be missed by our scans. The scans we are receiving from ahead are a large number of larger signals, a second cloud is detaching."

"In Valen's name, all fighters to the front intercept fire from all ships immediately."

Ahead of the Minbari fleet, a group of one hundred fighters launched their missiles concurrently with the others, two hundred anti fighter missiles thundered through space into the throng of Minbari vessels. Two hundred more anti-shipping missiles followed them in.

The first wave were intercepted en mass by the fighters and smallest escort ships, dozens of the missiles detonated far in front of their targets while others hit their targets wiping out yet more fighters. The second wave, close on the heels of the first group of missiles, were caught en mass by the defensive fire of the Minbari vessels. However it was not nearly enough to stop the entire barrage from penetrating their defenses.

Forty of the heaviest missiles available to the Alliance slammed into the hulls of five of the Sharlin warcruisers at the rear of the formation. The armor of each could take one possibly two of the missiles without critical damage but eight in rapid succession no known warship could possibly take.

As quickly as the attack came it was already over, the Starfury fighters had retreated back to their own lines before the Nials could rally against them, leaving that area of space to the Minbari. 

"_Suckerpunch_ unsuccessful, Sir. We got a few ships but not as many as we thought we would."

"We got five of their biggest ships. I don't call that unsuccessful, what's the count?"

"No losses, about twenty odd of their ships; not enough."

"Dammit, ok let them come to us the ECM will screw up their scanners as they get closer."

"Dreadnaught wing three is the closest to their position, Sir. Fighter wings are in escort positions; all railguns are active and locking onto enemy positions."

"Order them to stand their ground. Hit them with every thing then pull back to the secondary positions; no heroes out there."

"Aye Sir, Minbari ships are still stationary."

"I think I preferred it when they would come in screaming at us. Continue scans and ready Ringer squadrons. I want full suppression fire when the Dreadnaughts engage they have smaller units for a reason and we'll need every advantage we can get."

"Achilles acknowledges all ships at launch position. Sir, we're receiving a hail from the Minbari commander."

"What? Check that again."

"Confirmed, Sir. We're receiving a hail from the Minbari Commander."

"Put it on the main screen."

The main tactical screen above them lit up with the face of the commander of the Minbari forces, his face streaked with soot and blood from his fallen bridge officers. The Shai Alyt looked directly at the General and bowed his head slowly. The General saluted the other man with a quick two fingers to his eyebrow and, seconds later the channel closed.

"Sir?"

"He's coming in Colonel. We've hit him and he knows we're ready now but he's still coming in. He just wanted to see the face of the enemy one warrior to the other." Franklin explained. "Any response from Earthdome?"

"No, Sir."

"All ships this is Franklin, stand ready they're coming in."

Senator's Offices  
Earthdome  
Geneva

The contents of Senator Morgan Clark's desk scattered across his offices, his communications and computer systems crashed to the floor as Clark threw everything from his desk. Spinning around in his chair he stomped towards the doors to his office and threw the doors open.

"Hubert, get them all in here now."

Not having to ask who 'them' were the young secretary picked up his commlink and started contacting the desired people.

Back inside his office Clark sat down and turned to his window looking out onto the huge gardens that made up the centre of EarthDome. Minutes ticked by as his meditation consumed him, his contemplation was interrupted by his Psi corps stooge as the last of the Senator's cadre arrived. Calm and collected the Senator spoke up without turning round in his chair.

"We have a problem, several minutes ago I received a message from one of my agents in the control centre, the Achilles has been contacted by an outside force. Apparently another group of ships have arrived near Alliance space, these new ships are from the Achilles' home world."

"What how is that possible?" asked one of the other Senators. "The Achilles said they had no idea how they got to alliance space or how to get back."

"Then they lied," said Bester.

"No I don't think they did Mr Bester," Clark responded. "They didn't know that they would be found otherwise they may well have stayed out of this war with the Minbari. This does however mess slightly with our plans for the Achilles."

"Possibly not," the second senator said from the shadows nodding to his compatriot at the side. "The General here has access to more forces than we believed we needed when the Achilles was docked at Station One. It should be a simple and fruitful plan if we were to invite several to dock and then to attack from the station's docking ports."

"It is possible," said the similarly shadowed General. "We wait for them to dock and we send in our shock troops to take the ships over in the name of the Alliance, they are human and therefore are under our prevue while in Alliance space."

"However," Clark replied. "What if the other ships refuse to dock, or even return to Earth orbit?"

"The Achilles will return, we can still take her and any other ships that may come with her. In addition we merely keep a substantial part of the defense force and platforms in the area they dock in. Any attempt to leave or try to stop our take over will merely cause them damage."

"Very well, we shall try it that way. Have any forces you need ready for immediate embarkation to Station one or the orbital shipyard, we may be able to get them both in there right where we want them."

"What if some of their ships don't follow them?"

"Then we'll have enough ships in the system to cripple them, perhaps use their own ships against them. Poetic justice against those who would keep us from out rightful place as the lead power in space. With their ships in our hands we won't need the crews. General, make sure they disappear."

"With pleasure, Senator."

"Are we sure about this." The other senator replied "If we are wrong about this then we will have to face both their people and our own, I do not want us to end up shot by our own forces for treason under time of war."

"This is necessary to increase the abilities of our force Senator." The General explained, "Their weapons and equipment will guarantee our ascendance over the other races as is our right and our destiny, once we have annihilated the Minbari the other races will come into line."

"Believe me while your fears are well founded they will be of little problem Senator." Clark smiled, "We have all of this well in hand, even if we are forced to pull back from this escapade we will not have any trouble whatsoever in covering our tracks."

"How?"

"It's useful to have friends in high places."

Earthdome Military Operations Command  
Earthdome  
Geneva

Davis' communication with his ship was interrupted as a shout came across the room. Several of the crewmembers were already running about trying to filter out the noise coming from their communications systems.

"Sir, message from Proxima Three. Minbari forces are inbound in excess of two hundred ships in echelon formations."

"Status of defenses?"

"Fully operational; our hundred ships are set up for enclosure. ECM systems are in effect and have been successful to an extent against the Minbari fleet. Enemy fleet has taken a dozen casualties from the minefields. However Sucker punch tactic failed."

"Can we get any more ships there?"

"Negative Sir, not in time."

Turning back to his console Davis, reengaged the communications.

"Colonel?"

"We heard Major. We're picking up the Proximan transmissions as well. Transmitting to the Prometheus immediately."

"I'll let them know Colonel. Any luck on Alpha One?"

"Nothing yet. We'll keep you apprised. Achilles out."

USAF Prometheus.  
Achilles Rift

"Colonel Ronson , we have a message coming in from the Achilles."

"Put it on, Achilles this is Prometheus."

"Colonel Ronson, we have a problem down here."

"What kind of problem Colonel?"

"Our local ally is under attack by a Minbari Task force, two hundred ships have just started an attack on the Proxima Three colony. They are not sure that they can hold the Minbari back even with the limited help we've been able to give them. Without hyperdrive. we can't get there in time."

"But we can. Alright Colonel we're on our way."

"Thank you, Sir. Achilles out."

Pressing the internal comms switch, Ronson order the ship to go to battle stations. In addition, he called the members of SG1 and General O'Neill to the bridge. Their entrance coincided with the jump to hyperspace their attendant Ha'taks alongside them, O'neill looked up at Ronson.

"Problem, Colonel?"

"Possibly, Sir. Colonel Taylor radioed in that our newest ally was under attack. The Achilles asked that we lend a hand. We left one of the Ha'taks behind we're still flanked by the others."

"Hmm, I didn't want to leave the rift until we knew what happened to the other ship."

"Well Sir," Carter started. "From these readings we should be in Proxima space in a few minutes, it shouldn't take us long to sort this all out and get back."

"Fine." O'Neill said. "This is your ball game Ronson-have fun."

"Yes Sir." Ronson turned. "Weapons status?"

"All systems active and ready, shields at one hundred percent."

"Fighters."

"Ready for launch, all Jaffa ships signal squads are ready."

"Time to reversion."

"Four minutes, ten seconds."

"Sound Red Alert."

"Red Alert, Aye."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Kryten! Unpack Rachel and get out the puncture repair kit."

_**Proxima Defensive Lines**_

_**Proxima Space**_

"Reading Minbari ships Sir, two million kilometres and closing."

"Signal all ships lock onto enemy ships and safeties off, you see something you hit it."

"Got it, Sir. Here they come."

"All ships this is the flagship, fire at will."

As the myriad of small blue hued ships closed into the ranks of the human ships their weapons exploded into streams of light beyond the ranges of the plasma weapons aboard the Earth ships. Fusion and neutron beams cut through metres thick armour and hull while pulses of plasma and laser energy retaliated as the Minbari came into range. Interceptors and energy fields attempted to stave off the worst of the fire from either side of the conflagration.

The remaining Minbari fighters broke from their positions around the smaller vessels. Their orders clear, squadron after squadron dived into the fray hitting everything they could and then passing by clawing deeper into the Earth Force formations. Fusion cannons, burning into fighters and warships alike, return fire blowing several of them out of the sky.

The third Nova in as many minutes exploded as a dozen fusion beams sliced through its armour, it's back broken and engines exposed the debris was incinerated by the flash detonation of its reactors.

In retaliation, its sister ships unleashed a truly terrifying amount of firepower from their dozens of heavy weapons, plasma met crystalline armour penetrating the thick slabs and blowing holes through into the interiors of the Minbari ships. Missiles from all types of ships followed the plasma fire increasing the size of the holes and penetrating deep into the enemy ships.

The Nial squadrons were still in action even against the massively overwhelming numbers of Starfuries that were arrayed against them. The small dart-like fighters blew through the first lines of fighters concentrating on the larger carrier and dreadnaught ships of the line.

Three Avenger carriers were caught almost unawares. Their railguns blazed away at the nimble fighters clipping several and sending them flying into the sides of their fellow capital ships. A full two squadrons of Nials strafed the thinly armoured veterans, their fusion cannons ripping through the hulls of the three human ships detonating munitions and atmosphere within the carriers.

Railgun fire came from the surrounding formations, thousands of high velocity armoured rounds slashed through space trying to stop the Minbari fighters that were so intent on murdering the carriers that were against them. Fusion beams continued to slice into the Avengers only stopping once the fighters were annihilated by the returning fire. Undeterred the Minbari ships continued into the ranks of lumbering human ships.

_**Tara'Mir**_

_**Sharlin Class Warcruiser**_

_**Flagship Minbari Assault Fleet**_

Shai Alyt Vel'rann's ships were three minutes from optimal range and the Earthers had already hurt his force – badly. Five of his Sharlins had been lost already in the opening seconds of the battle. It was obvious that the stealth systems were all but useless and therefore a waste resource in the coming battle.

"To all ships," he started. "Inactivate the stealth fields and shunt power to weapons and sensors. The Earthers can see us, but the very thing that allows them to do so should cause them to be vulnerable to our active scans. Focus your scans on their larger vessels."

"Ships are acknowledging."

"On my order, all assault Tigaras break and attack their left flank and Sholigans, break right. Group Gu'lana Tinashis will support the attack using suppression fire. Hit them as hard as you can. Vu-alulla attack Tinashis and Tigaras will support the main attack at the center of the Earther's line with all Sharlins. Nials will engage fighters and smaller ships as opportunity arises. Do not waste time destroying damaged vessels. We are faster than their ships and must use speed as a weapon. Inflict damage, hurt them first and then we will destroy them."

"All ships have acknowledged your orders and are awaiting your command."

The Shai Alyt looked over the damage of his bridge, a portent of things to come and whispered, "May Valen protect us all. The order is given."

Instantly one hundred twenty support vessels separated into two distinct groups and began their encircling engagement while the Sharlins and their support group moved forward firing at the EarthForce contingent even though they were still somewhat out of range. The Earth Alliance ships poised to encircle their Minbari enemies discovered that they were the ones being surrounded. Minbari tactics had changed. They were learning the lessons of war even as the Earthers had.

Scanners set to full, the Minbari began their attack.

Two Vorlon scout ships jumped in and began recording the events unfolding before them. They were part of a small group of vessels, the majority of them continuing on to the Human star system to gather more data on the newcomer humans and to find out what happened to another of their kind.

These two vessels were scanning the area intently, analyzing strategies and defensive manoeuvres on both sides. Despite the recent failures by the Minbari, it had been judged that the war had done them some good. The lessons being learned would be valuable when the Shadow war began in earnest.

That war was coming sooner than anticipated since the arrival of the newcomers had upset the timetable. Where those newcomers came from was the subject of much speculation and little fact. However what was known was they were dangerous, unpredictable and possessed technologies above their station and maturity. The Vorlons had not had the opportunity to examine them and determine their origin, but that would change soon.

Unknown quantities were something that Vorlons didn't appreciate and that mysterious factor had to be remedied soon before the Shadows stepped up their chaotic activities.

Undetected, each ship proceeded to opposite sides of the battlefield to record the events.

One scout ship watched and relayed the unfolding events to the home world. That Vorlon disapproved of this conflict because it was wasting valuable resources that could be used in the coming war against the Shadows and their allies. The Humans, although less advanced had an important role to play. But their increased resistance to the enviable placed the circle and the real war in jeopardy.

The humans needed to concede defeat and allow the circle to continue towards completion if everything was to turn out the way it was supposed to. And the Minbari needed to hurry up and finish this war. According to all historical and temporal data, this war should be rapidly edging towards the final conflict and it wasn't, thereby endangering what must be.

Both Vorlons were pleased with the first minutes of the battle. The Minbari were being bloodied, but despite fighting against the new technology and scanners, they were killing the humans at a horrendous rate, as they should have, as they always had. At this rate the circle would correct itself quickly and all would well.

The newcomers could then be properly studied and possibly integrated into the war against the Chaos bringers. Their technology was above their station but if properly handled, their deleterious effects could be somewhat abated. But again, that brought up the question as to where these humans had come from. Abduction by other races had been ruled out, however that brought up something even more disturbing. And that was the possibility that they had been abducted by other First Ones, without Vorlon knowledge. If that were true then what had been their purpose for doing so?

Speculation from each of the Vorlons was violently terminated when something, or specifically several somethings, entered the system at extreme speed through a type of spatial opening that had never been seen before. There were four ships, each effectively blocking the Vorlon passive scanners. Each alien trembled as their ships recognized and identified the lead vessel.

It was another newcomer vessel almost identical to the previous one it was flanked by three other unidentified ships, their design based on the configuration of the pyramid. Their ratings were equally impressive and their dramatic entrance and presence brought the fighting to a complete standstill. Immediately, both First Ones connected with the communal mind so that the others could see in case something, as remote as the possibility was, would happen to them. Communications on active, both listened in as the newcomers started making demands for the Minbari surrender.

"This is General Jack O'Neill of the Earth ship Prometheus to both fleets, cease fire immediately. This is your only warning, stop now or we will force you to stop."

Ships from both fleets stopped firing as the four ships of the allied flotilla dropped into sight directly between both groups, a single grey hued ship surrounded by three larger pyramid shaped vessels now stood between the forward groups that had already been in battle.

"That's better. This is an order to all combatants, pull away from firing range and hold station so we can sort this out. Do not make us fire on you or you my well regret it. Now who here is in charge?"

"Alyt?"

"Put me through to their command ship." He waited until the confirmation of signal was given. "This Shai Alyt Vel'rann of the Minbari Federation, you are unwelcome here and we request you leave immediately or face the wrath of our weapons. This is your only chance to withdraw with the rest of your ships before you are destroyed along with the rest of your race."

"Alyt Vel'rann, this is O'Neill. Seems to me you are unaware of just what we are capable of, now I say again pull back until we can get this mess sorted. There is no need to go around killing everyone else."

"You are not of this area of space human, you or your companions. Your people have done enough damage to the balance of power of this sector, and we refuse to allow you to do so anymore. You have been given your chance and you have not taken it. It is unfortunate that you disregard our power, you may have lived otherwise."

Ordering his ships forward the Alyt tasked two of his powerful Sharlins to destroy the smaller vessel, one even more primitive and tiny than the devil ship the newcomers had already used against their force. Both of the massive ships began to close on the Prometheus guns ready to fire and teeth bared for blood.

"This is your last chance human, take your ship and your people and leave this space. If so, we will leave your people out of this war. We have no quarrel with your world. We will however remove you if you do not leave yourselves."

"Fat chance, we've been asked for help and we're more than willing to help them. We're not going away before we take you down."

"You have had your chance human, now you will be removed." The Alyt turned to his officers. "Order our Sharlins to fire immediately."

To either side of the command ship the two monstrous vessels opened up on the newcomer's ship. Like the others of their caste they had seen what the larger ship named Achilles had been able to do against their ships. However this pitiful smaller vessel should be so much easier to destroy.

Twin neutron beams intersected on the Prometheus' shields, the smaller newcomer vessel shook as the weapons attempted to break through the defensive energy barrier. In response the human vessel opened fire from their own weapons, the main forward railguns slammed into the hulls of the two ships blowing through the crystalline armour and into the internals.

Seconds later, the Prometheus' own Asgard weapon exploded into use. The modified transporter flowed across the closest of the Sharlins causing it's entire middle section to disappear into quantum mist. The second ship attacked again all weapons trying to cut through the shields of the attacking humans.

Again the Asgard based energy weapon simply erased parts of the Minbari vessel, the remaining parts merely going silent or collapsing under the fire of the railguns. Less than ten seconds after the first neutron bombardment and both of the largest vessels in the fleet had been wiped out.

"Sir the Minbari flagship is hailing us."

"Put them through." Said Ronson.

"Why are you here, human? This…"

"…is not your war," Shai Alyt Vel'rann shouted. The Minbari was furious – and frightened, his calm demeanour shattered by the loss of more than half his force to the human fleets. In addition another newcomer human vessel had arrogantly placed itself in front of the heaviest concentration of his ships and had withstood firepower from two Sharlins before they were blown out of space with ease. Quickly, he ordered his ships to back off and he opened communications not with the Earthers but his communications was directed towards the alien allies the newcomer has brought with them. "Remove yourselves from this field or we will destroy you and start a war which will ruin, if not destroy your world."

"Shai Alyt, they are responding."

The comm opened and the Minbari found that he had to steady himself. There were three humans on the screen. Each of them had some sort of tattoo on their foreheads and they were unusually big for humans. They carried an air of menace about them. That didn't matter to him. What did matter was that they were humans – more of them. The universe was more infested than he had first believed. However these weren't the humans that his people were at war with. The Earthers and the new comers were bad enough; a third group of them…

"You have been ordered to return to your place of origin or you will be destroyed," the Jaffa commander told the Shai Alyt as if he were a child; a fact the Minbari took note of and found extremely offensive.

"You dare?!"

The two Jaffa on either side activated a hidden stub and their heads were covered with a helmet styled as some sort of avian predator. Jet-black, the eyes glowed blood red, which spoke of dangerous technology.

"Any attempt on our allies or our own ships will be met with force, your ships are inconsequential. Leave now or we will remove you from this place."

"We will not leave, we are committed. If we have to go through you we will, but these Earthers will be destroyed one way or another."

"Then we will crush you and your fleet. Jaffa Kree, Kel mar tokeem!"

The Minbari wasted no time and immediately attacked the newcomers with everything they had. The threat of extermination, had become all to real with their presence, a fact that was proven as Minbari warships were torn apart with impunity even as they tried in vain to break through the force shield protecting their enemies.

_**Proxima Station Beta**_

_**Same time**_

"That was real-right?" asked one of the junior officers. "How did they do that?"

"Well they can see the boneheads alright, their shields protected them from the… Oh my god."

Direct from the visual feeds they could see the other human ship take firepower that would have cut their biggest ships in half. The blaze of firepower that erupted from the forward sections of this 'Prometheus' ship blew two of the huge Sharlins into small pieces of debris.

"Prometheus. Oh great, just what we need."

"Hey at least Jankowski's not on that thing."

"No, not after what happened at Ross he wouldn't be."

"General?"

Franklin looked over to the tactical tables to see the already hazy locks on the Minbari ships sharpen and increase in resolution. A full count of ships on both sides were being spooled up on the main monitors.

"We're getting signals from the four incoming ships, telemetry on all ships on both sides as well as positive counts on the numbers we have. Almost one hundred twenty Minbari ships are still active."

"Contact all ships. Have them make positive locks on everything not EarthForce, but to hold their fire."

_**USAF Prometheus**_

Alarms sounded as the Prometheus detected hundreds of scans attempting to lock onto their sensor signature; although they had come in unstealthed they were still able to defeat a number of the scans with the main shields. The sheer amount of scans in the area was more than sufficient to light them up.

"Both sides are painting us with targeting scanners, reading all kinds of weapons types from twenty different ship classes."

"Do not reciprocate on the other Earth ships, concentrate on the Minbari only. Communications, put me through to the Jaffa ships."

"Online, Sir."

"All ships do not lock onto the Earth vessels, Minbari only. Light them up people."

"Acknowledged."

"Locking onto Minbari ships, Sir. Energy spikes all around."

"All ships open fire."

Already humiliated and angered by the casual destruction by the newcomer ship as well as the loss of many more to the human defences, a number of the closest Minbari ships opened fire on the Jaffa Ha'taks. Fusion beams and neutron cannons ripped into the energy fields causing concentric circles to form across the barrier.

Free to act, the Jaffa ships launched their own attack on the Minbari. Plasma bolts lanced into the assembled Minbari forces. Fighters and lighter ships accelerated towards the pyramid type ships every weapon possible firing into the shields of the Ha'taks. In response more fire came from the turrets of the Jaffa ships, fighters swarming from their hanger bays into the cloud of small Minbari fighters.

"Prometheus to all vessels, target all enemy vessels; take them down. If you can, disable them. If you have to kill them, do not put yourselves at risk. All weapons maximum yield, fire at will."

The missiles and railguns of the human ship opened up, nuclear and projectile fire hammering into the closest group of ship, rounds piercing into the smaller ships while enhanced nukes detonated within the closer groups. However as the debris cleared more ships began to turn towards the allied group all but ignoring the EarthForce regiments in front of them.

_**Tara'Mir**_

_**Sharlin Class Warcruiser**_

_**Flagship Minbari Assault Fleet**_

"This is Shai Alyt Vel'Rann to all ships, cease fire repeat cease fire."

"This is Alyt Dor'ful. These humans and their pets have killed thousands of our people. We will not allow them to go unpunished."

"This is an order Dor'ful. Pull back."

There was no answer.

"Stop now, Alyt. You will just get your ships destroyed."

The communications stayed dead.

"Vel'Rann to Newcomer ships. This attack is unauthorised against your people. All ships are standing down."

To his side the ship's executive officer looked up at his Commander however the look on his Alyt's face stopped him in his tracks.

"Please respond."

"This is the United States Air Force Vessel Prometheus to Minbari flagship, we receive your surrender. Do not attack and we will not destroy your ships, pull back and leave the system immediately. Anyone that attempts to attack us will result in the destruction of your forces."

"Understood Prometheus, be aware several of our ships may be readying to attack you against my orders. We are aware of the power of your ships and am not willing to allow my warriors to die against overwhelming odds. You have defeated us human you and your people. I can not say I would have done the same thing in your position."

"That is something that makes us different Vel'rann. You are free to leave."

"Alyt!" the scanner operator shouted. "Twelve ships including one of our Sharlins are baring down on the newcomer ships."

"Prometheus, those ships are not accepting my commands," Vel'rann said. "We can't stop them attacking you."

"Understood, we will not hold you to blame for this attack, but leave now."

"We are leaving, good luck human. Tara'Mir out."

"Alyt the ships are still heading for the Earther vessels."

"There is nothing we can do. Set course out of the system then jump when possible."

"Alyt the Earther's ECM has begun to dissipate, we have clear jump capability."

"All ships jump when ready."

As one, the few dozen remaining of the two hundred strong warship attack force fled into the jump points opened by the last remaining capital ships, leaving behind almost twenty ships heading straight into the jaws of the human ships. There would be no survivors taken by the humans.

The Vorlons were incensed and more concerned than ever. The Minbari had been routed, completely and utterly. Everything was in flux. Suddenly plans forged since the beginning started unravelling before their very eyes. If the Minbari lost, then the one-who-was would not be found and Valen would never exist to return to the past, thereby maintaining the circle and ensuring Vorlon victory in the alternate time line being created at this moment. The commonality was in an uproar and ordered an immediate scan of the newcomers.

The Vorlon scouts consulted for a moment and it was decided that the one closest to the ships would scan the one called O'Neill and the humans onboard that ship, while the other would scan the humans that called themselves the Jaffa and find out as much information as possible.

The mind of the Human spouting out insulting remarks that bordered on supreme arrogances was touched briefly by the Vorlon scout. His mind pulled back in surprise. Instead of gaining entry, he had been rebuffed. There was an intangible wall of mental force there that had resisted his probing. Surprised but intrigued, the male began once more adding more power behind the telepathic probe. Once more there was unconscious resistance by the human. Slightly angered, the Vorlon increased the pressure and discovered a mental projection of static pushing against him, reflecting and countering his probing. Once again, the Vorlon was surprised. He had never encountered anything like this among the younger races and its first assumption was that the human had been touched by shadow. But that suspicion pushed away as the 'feeling' was not shadow-based. Unwilling to give up the Vorlon exerted more and more pressure upon the human. He felt the human gasp, then sneeze before whatever was protecting his mind, violently slapped the Vorlon away.

Stunned, the Vorlon screamed more out of frustration than pain, producing a psychic tremor in local space that was felt by Earth Alliance human and Minbari alike. The human mind had ejected him as if his probe was nothing more than an irritant. Now fearfully and respectfully, he tested the other humans onboard and encountered the same static resistance. The other Vorlon had encountered the same resistance. But they had discovered one thing. These newcomers were not Vorlon-altered young ones. This was unprecedented; a fact should not be possible.

The entire commonality had been in an uproar earlier. Now there was a collective silence. They didn't have a clue as to what was going on, but they planned to do something about this immediately. Orders from on high came down…Find out where they came from, examine their threat potential, remove that threat and make sure that the is circle repaired. This was a priority, nothing else mattered.

In fact, it was a priority. No Vorlon could stomach the idea that they might lose to the Shadows in any timeline. It had never happened before and they had no intentions of being the first to break the circle.

**Dimensional Rift:**

On the other side of the rift, an Asgard battle cruiser broke hyperspace, moved towards the anomaly and began intensive hyperspace scans. Onboard the O'Neill, Thor was surprised at the readings. They were unlike anything he or his people had seen before. Theoretically his people knew that the possibility of a stable rift between universes was indeed possible, however the power required to sustain such an anomaly was cost prohibited and could only be maintained for a small amount of time. How this was hole in space formed was the basis of a lot of speculation by the Asgard crew, however the presence of Naquada obviously had something to do with it. There were other, extremely rare isotopes of the mineral that could possibly disrupt time and space but its half life was to short that it was undetectable after an half hour of exposure under normal conditions. The ancient race knew that it was possible to use the wormhole knowledge that enabled stargate to function to travel through time or even shift into other dimensions under the correct conditions.

But…

This was something unique. What was also very interesting was that there was a hyperspace trail, several trail actually, that led into the rift. The particles left by the ships that entered the rift were unmistakable. The Tau'ri, of course the Tau'ri, had been brave enough, or foolish enough to enter the rift, something that the Asgard had no intentions of repeating without more study. The transition point was deadly. The energies that created the rift were chaotic and would cause damage to any vessel attempting to transition the barrier. Even shield vessels were not completely immune, unless they could adjust the shield harmonics to match that of the rift. And that was what Thor decided that he would do. The possibilities for exploration were too great. He and his fellow crew members had to know what was on the other side.

At that thought, Thor would have smiled if he could have. Evidently the Humans had affected him more than he believed. Their unrestrained immaturity, their maddening curiosity had infected him as well. Thinking outside the box was slowly taking hold of his people.

A half an hour later, after contacting High Command, the Asgard battle cruiser _O'Neill_ entered the interface into another universe. Within that half hour, two more battleships arrived to guard the rift as the _O'Neill_ explored. Such caution was warranted; there was not telling what could happen. Goa'uld ships might discover the rift or some dangerous entity determined to wipe out all life might exit. Either possibility was something that the Asgard didn't approve of.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"It's an Alkali"

"Oh yes? What's it called?" "Soliciumfrankolithicmixyalebidiumrixydixydoxydexydroxide."

Minbari Forward command Post

Former EA Border Territory

Three hours later

The space around the command post split open as a number of jump points opened up around inner system. Only a dozen or so, instead of the expected fifty, surprised the on duty command staff of the massive station. Already they had suffered an attack from the Earther's border patrols leading to the primitive's ships destruction for little loss themselves.

Exiting the jump points they saw the familiar blue and green hues of their ships, the majestic Sharlins, surrounded by a larger number of escort and attack ships, dropped from hyperspace. The startled station crews noticed that as the jump points cleared that less than forty of the two hundred ships had returned from the attack on the earther's fortified system of Proxima.

"Open communications."

Aboard the lead Sharlin, one of the remaining bridge crew spoke up as the familiar chimes of an open communications system sounded,.

"We're being hailed Alyt."

"This is Command post Va'la'hu to incoming ships, Alyt Vel'rann please respond."

"This is Vel'rann to Command station, we receive you."

"Vel'rann, where are the remainder of your forces?"

"Destroyed, the Earthers have enhanced their technology faster than we had anticipated. We need immediate scrambled communications with Sector Command as soon as possible."

"They destroyed the other ships?"

"Yes, they and some of their new found allies. We were unable to make it into the inner system before we were hit. It will take a larger force with more warriors to destroy that system. I will be reporting to the Grey Council themselves once all the data has been compiled."

"My analysts will help in any way they can, old friend."

"That would be appreciated. We have much to do and less time to complete our tasks."

"Your ships are cleared for docking at the main station. We'll have the healers brought to the airlocks as soon as we can. I grieve for the losses your clan has suffered against the Earthers Vel'rann."

"We were arrogant in our beliefs Aha'kon. We were beaten and beaten well. But we will talk more when we dock, there is much to discuss about the Earthers and their new capabilities."

"Then we should recall the defensive forces for this sector?"

"Do so. If the newcomers decide to follow us there is little that we could do but slow them down. Call in every ship you can. We must hold this position if we are to launch another attack on Proxima."

"Understood- ready ship for docking all healers will be awaiting your ship."

"Thank you Command, Tara'mir out."

Turning to one of the command subordinates the station's commander ordered all medical personnel to the airlocks. Across the station gunners and warrior boarding teams raced to their posts. If the Earthers were to follow the fleet then this station would be their first target. The Minbari were committed to making sure that it would be the last target any ships that attack them would see.

_**Proxima Station Beta  
Outer System Limits  
Proxima System.**_

"General O'Neill on behalf of EarthForce and the Earth Alliance I wish to extend my thanks and appreciation for the actions of you and your fleet this day," said a very happy General Franklin. "Thousand of people on both sides have lived to see another day. The Minbari have retreated and this may serve as a major change in this war. The Achilles has served as a life saver to us and now you and the Prometheus has shown the Minbari that they can't run roughshod over Humanity."

Throughout the speech, O'Neill was shuffling, slightly embarrassed over the commotion being given. Communications were almost overwhelmed with apparently very happy soldiers that had survived when survival had been very much in doubt. He understood exactly how they felt. Part of him loved the attention; saving Earth again, even if it was another Earth, was a high in itself and something he would never get over.

But the other part of him was slightly embarrassed by the whole thing and wanted to get a way from it as soon as he could. He realized with a start that he'd been playing the, 'I'm really not that smart, but dumb' game far too long. It was that part that won out.

"Thanks General Franklin," he started. "This may be the start of a beautiful relationship, or, at least a somewhat okay one. I think that my people are discussing a few things and we want to kind of get there to your Earth, I mean, so we can finish negotiations and get some of these wonderful, really big ships. Is it possible that you can let Earth Alliance know we're coming so they won't shoot at us or something?"

"Yes, General. By the time you get to Earth's system, I'm sure they'll have every brass band on the planet waiting to play for you," Franklin smirked. "When can they expect you?" General Franklin asked General Jack O'Neill.

After the aborted battle at Proxima against the Minbari because of the presence of the small but immensely powerful warships, two of which were heading towards the homeworld of Earth Alliance, his Earth, he was onboard the Prometheus. His purpose was simple. He was trying to broker a deal with the General for some of the very impressive technology these people had. And he was attempting to pave the way for talks and in the process try to get handle on this man who would be responsible for the negotiations.

The Common area, being used as a temporary conference room, was relatively small, but it had gravity and was comfortable. Everyone was gone except for the General, a Colonel Carter, and one of the Human-like Jaffa called Teal'c, and a civilian named Daniel Jackson. Franklin was unsure about the Jaffa. Apparently, they were like the Centauri, similar to Humans superficially but different in many other ways. When he had the chance, he would ask why the Jaffa and Humans of the SG were allied with one another. But for now he waited for an answer to his question.

"Oh, about two hours more, give or take," he said as casually as he could while he waited for 'the look'. Franklin provided it in spades and O'Neill simply smiled as blandly as he could while he cracked up on the inside. He loved doing that. Travel time would normally be faster however, the Prometheus needed to be updated on the discussions going on with the Earth Alliance and the Achilles. So far, it had not been encouraging. "Depends if the space currents are at our backs or something like that. Oh, and there will be two of us coming. If you want to know exact times, you can ask the Colonel. She lives to answer questions like that."

"I'll let them know, General."

"Thank you, General."

"How badly hurt were your forces?"

"Not as badly as we could have been, we still lost over twenty percent of all forces arrayed against the Minbari. The minefields are depleted and god knows what the pilot losses were against their fighters. We had to empty out the ships under construction to augment our lines. Most of our losses are those that were incomplete or damaged already." He accepted a drink from a crewman and thanked the young man with a nod. "Much as it sounds distasteful, it is removing the chaff from our forces. The majority of our out-of-date ships have been sold off or destroyed in this war, the newest ships and designs are supplanting what we do have."

Franklin drank from his cup and leaned back he looked right at O'Neill who simply stared back at the other man. "Military budgets are up and our forces are consolidating across the Alliance, but we've lost a lot of damn good men and women and almost all of our most capable commanders. I've got few left at Proxima as it is. It could have been a lot worse, General.

"The Minbari are trying to wipe us out General, every human is simply a target to them no matter age or gender and any help we can get is and has been greatly appreciated. As you undoubtedly know, we have made trades for some of your technologies, but Colonel Taylor has insisted that she could not provide us with certain technologies because she didn't have the authority. I am hoping we can come to an understanding."

"It's possible," O'Neill answered. "What are you interested in?"

"To put it simply, everything," he answered. "Your hyperspace drives are like nothing anyone has ever seen before. Your shields, heavy beam weapons and the enhanced nuclear ordinance has R&D salivating. The ECM and gravity generators are extremely useful, too. With those, Earth would never need to fear anyone ever again."

"Excuse me, but," started the man who called himself Jackson began. "With those technologies, not only would you be able to defend yourselves but none of the other races around could withstand you. The balance of power would be completely disrupted."

The EarthForce General almost ignored the civilian's outburst, but stopped himself abruptly, as he felt as if he were being set up. The General hadn't said anything or rebuked the scientist for speaking out of turn. In fact, although O'Neill seemed rather – slow, he was in fact dangerously intelligent. The man was trying to play him and he had almost fallen for it. Not one of the officers on this ship, or the Achilles was less than professional. Why should this General be any different? The man had been a pilot and that alone was an indication of how intelligent he was. Franklin determined to size this man up. O'Neill played dumb in order to make others underestimate him. With this knowledge in his passion he had to tread carefully. This Jackson fellow was very likely a highly placed government agent not to be misjudged either.

"Earth Alliance is not in the business of conquering our neighbours. It is in the business of making sure that its people survive. We have some dangerous neighbours here. The Narn and Centauri aren't trustworthy and if given the opportunity, would roll over us in a minute. They would take our colonies and make slaves of the population. They would rape Earth of its resources given a half a chance. As fellow humans you understand the importance of our species and our world's survival."

General O'Neill eyes seemed to narrow for a second. "Ya know, I've been glancing at Colonel Taylor's report of your negotiations and I am the first to admit I like big honking space guns and huge frigging explosions as much as the next person. But frankly, eh General Franklin, I don't like the way they're going. Just so that there is no misunderstanding, let me explain something to you. The Achilles and this ship Prometheus is the property of the United States of America, of my Earth. Your Earth is not ours and any serious exchanges of technology beyond what has already been done will be decided by diplomats and the discretion of our allies," he said, unknowingly echoing what Major Davis had said earlier. "I know you're at war with these Minbari but what we've given you is already balancing out this war. The Minbari have a lot to think about and now would be a great time for both of you to start talking."

"Humanity needs the technology you have. I make no apologies for that."

"I understand what you're saying completely and if I were in your shoes I would be saying exactly the same thing," O'Neill said. "But…."

"…But trying to force us to give away our secrets is not the best way to make friends. We have responsibilities, too," Jackson continued. "We are about to become responsible to assist in the protection of hundreds worlds with human populations."

General Franklin gaped at that revelation.

"General O'Neil to the bridge."

"Excuse me," he said. "Duty calls."

General Franklin stared at the civilian. Waiting for him to continue as the Air Force General walked out of the room.

"There are hundreds of worlds in our sector of space that contain Human populations. Most all of them were kidnapped from Earth thousands of years ago by our main enemies, the Goa'uld. Many of these worlds are primitive and have been preyed upon by the Goa'uld for thousands of years. The Goa'uld have plagued our galaxy and have destroyed or broken countless numbers of societies before those societies could become strong enough to defend themselves against them. The far, far majority of these worlds have barely discovered gunpowder. They've lost their own history and the Goa'uld outlawed reading and writing in order to maintain their gripes on those worlds. But some of those worlds have had help and a lot of the surviving worlds are now under the Protective Planet's treaty initiated by the Asgard, a treaty that includes our Earth. As we are now venturing into space more and more we've been informed that the Asgard will now expect us to help with the protection of those worlds. We owe the Asgard a lot and mutual trust has and is being established between us. They've saved us and our world and we've done the same for them. They've given us some technology that we are obligated to keep to ourselves. We will not violate their trust."

"We sympathize with you, which is why we interfered at Proxima, but we will not give you weapons that can be used to wipe out entire civilizations," Colonel Carter said.

"But the Minbari trying to wipe out every Human they can find, and that means you and your people as well. Don't forget that," he announced with absolute certainty. "But, I can see that you respect these Asgard and that's unusual to gather that type of trust to aliens. In my experience, Humans and aliens working together has never been practical, but I will respect your decisions. Others may not be so conciliatory."

"And I find that comment oddly disturbing," Daniel replied.

_**USAF Prometheus:**_

"What's the problem?" General O'Neill walked into the bridge expecting trouble.

"We're receiving a transmission, Sir. It's from the Asgard."

That came as a surprise. "Put it through."

"Greetings, General O'Neill," said the voice of Thor.

"Hey there old buddy," Jack responded. "Fancy meeting you here so soon."

"I could say much the same thing. By coming through the rift, has your ship been damaged?"

"Only a bit," he conceded. "It really didn't want to let us through."

"Understandable. Your shields require reconfiguring in order to safely transverse the rift. I am transmitting the necessary dada for you to do so safely. May I ask why are you here?"

"We lost one of our ships and we're here to get it back and meet with the local humans of Earth of this universe. It seems like the got themselves involve in a small war over here and well..." He smiled mischievously. "We politely explained why it would be a bad thing to continue fighting against this other Earth. We're letting the Minbari think about it and well, you know how it is."

"Knowing the Tau'ri, yes," deadpanned an amused Thor. "We found the rift and the hyperspace emissions from your ship and decided to contact you," he continued changing the subject. "The O'Neill will do a preliminary scan of local space in the next ninety six hours and then we will return to our parent universe. Because of this unique situation, I have assigned two Asgard battleships to maintain the security of the rift on our side of the universe. The residents here apparently use tachyon transmissions in order to communicate with one another and we will catalogue them in order to establish communications if the need arises."

"The Achilles has transmitted detail data of the different races here. I'll have my people send what we have to you now."

"That would be greatly appreciated," responded Thor. A few seconds later after the data was transmitted: "This is most interesting, most interesting indeed. If you require any assistance please contact us. We will be heading for Vree territory. If you have any difficulty please feel free to contact us."

"Will do."

Once the transmission terminated, Jack smiled wildly. "It's nice to have friends in the neighbourhood," he said as he left the bridge.

The General returned to the conference room smiling broadly. "Thor said hello."

"Thor's here?"

"Yep."

"Who is Thor?" General Franklin asked.

"Friends we know from the other side," O'Neill said. "They're going to visit the Vree."

Daniel whistled. He had read bits and pieces of the Achilles report and understood why the Asgard were travelling there. "Now 'that' is going to be interesting."

"Yep," he answered. "General Franklin, is there anyone that we should be talking specifically talking to?"

"I'm not sure. Your people are in talks at Geneva at this very moment. But I imagine that the Joint Chiefs will be interested in discussing your technology and our future trade status."

"If any," answered O'Neill.

"If any."

_**Earth**_

"They'll be here within the hour!" Senator Clark said.

"Not enough time," the other Senator said. "Amazing how fast their ships are. Did anyone know that?"

"We haven't seen their full capabilities yet," the General said. "But I am sure we will have ample time to discover it for ourselves. The Prometheus will be docked next to the Achilles. My people will execute our plan. We'll leave enough survivors for interrogation."

"What about the other ship?" the second senator asked.

"I expect them to dock as well. We'll hit them at the same time. Or we will disable their ship. Weapons will be trained on them at all times. No matter how strong their shields are at point blank range our weapons will overcome them. These Jaffa whatever won't be able to handle Elite GROPOS boarding actions."

"Good. Bester?"

"My people will be ready but if they run into the same problems as we have on these others, then we will not be of much help. But the Jaffa beings may be-useful. We will also require some of the human crew for further study."

You'll get yours, as soon as we get ours. Everyone get ready. Let's hope that Sheridan is as long-winded as he usually is. We need every second we can get."

_**Earth Space:**_

Nearby planet Jupiter, the USAF Achilles stood off from the other ships in the area. The Starfuries had left the search not long ago, the missing 302 could not be found by the sensitive scanners of the Achilles nor the numbers of starfuries and rescue ships dispatched by the Earthforce's Search and Rescue Service.

Almost every ship as that passed the small warship flashed their lights at the SGC crew. Freighters, fighters, even the largest warships all acknowledged them in thanks for their assistance to date. The Achilles in turn flashed back to the Earthforce vessels saluting their fellows.

Things suddenly changed as a huge spatial disturbance never seen before by the vast majority Earthforce lit up space, sending gravimetric and electromagnetic distortions in all directions. There was a general air of uncertainty and near panic as space close to the newcomer vessel lit up and revealed a ship exiting from the centre of the disturbance, slowing down so quickly that, under normal circumstances, would have most certainly killed the crew and everything else down to bacteria inside. And another ship dropped out close to the Achilles on the opposite side. That ship was massive and pyramid-shaped, completely alien from anything seen before.

The Earthforce ships, although informed that two vessels were to enter the area, had never seen anything of this sort before, as they were used to jump points and hyperspace. And the unbelievable speeds of the vessels were not part of their usual experiences. The huge flashes, not unlike several nuclear flashes going off heralding the arrivals, frightened many skittish Earthforce defenders into thinking that something else, not human built had entered the system.

Across the system ships and fighters went to red alert, hundreds of fighters and warships converged on the two ships. As they closed, one of the new arrivals could be seen to have many common traits to the Achilles and indeed a number of their own vessels. As they closed, the ship transmitted and identified itself by using a modified Earthforce IFF signal. It called itself the Prometheus. The other ship remained unidentified.

A name not seen as favourable by many in the Earth Alliance, the lead ships received a single short hail from the newcomer ship.

"This is General Jack O'Neill of the Prometheus; Hey folks hope we're not late."

A huge number of caustic replies fortunately were never transmitted back to the Prometheus. This was a good thing.

EarthDome Military Operations Command  
Earth Alliance

_**Geneva  
**_

The moment the SGC representatives entered the room, all Daniel could think of was the phrase 'court martial'. Ambassador Sheridan was seated at the center of the table. To his right was General Harris and to his left were Senator Peterson of the Netherlands conglomerate, Senator Luchenko of the Russian Consortium and Senator Lindsey of Australia.

He in turn was flanked by General O'Neill, Major Davis on his left, and Colonel Carter and Teal'c on his right. It was interesting that everyone seemed to be sizing up everyone else trying to jockey for position.

"Hello esteemed Senators, Ambassador Sheridan and General Harris," he started. "As you know I have been appointed ambassador-at-large and I would first like to acknowledge and thank you for all that you've done for our people. I am sure that without your help the Achilles and its crew would have been in far worse shape. Your help has been greatly appreciated."

"And we thank your ship and its crew for providing so much help during our time of need," Sheridan responded. "I know that time is short so we'll get right to it. We've made agreements between the two of us, your technology, for a place to repair and station your ship. It's been a good arrangement but we would like to modify the terms a bit and we're hoping that you have the authority to help resolve this matter."

"Modify it how exactly?" Daniel asked. He knew exactly what they wanted from his discussions with Davis but he wanted it spelled out. Next to Sheridan, the General could barely keep his temper in check. "I believed the original terms were quite specific and satisfactory to all sides?" That comment got a barely concealed snort from Harris. The Senators simply remained as impassive as possible although Peterson clearly wanted to jump in.

"The terms are acceptable," Sheridan said. "But as you are no doubt aware, we'd like to acquire a bit more. We have been authorized to expand the number of ships plus technology and shipyard designs for your people offered in return for these weapons and defenses. It is a very generous offer. With our ships and your modifications, you'd never need to worry about defense again. But we do want you to reciprocate. Your enhanced nuclear ordinance, for example would be a nice start. And we'd really like to examine your hyperspace drive and associated systems. I can say that you've caused quite a stir, entering our system like that. To my understanding, no one has seen anything like it. The Achilles never demonstrated such abilities so dramatically for all of us to see. We want to include the beam weapon on the Achilles in our discussions. That would be of great advantage to our forces and of course your energy shields. For a time-displaced group such as yourselves, I would think that it would be in everyone's best interests if you could allow us access to these systems and technology and jump at this opportunity. That would help us both in the long run."

"Certain technologies are not ours to give out. The hyperspace drives, and the Asgard beam weapon are not ours to pass on without permission from our allies. The enhanced nukes are a military secret that we can't give out without permission from our Commander and Chief. But I have a question. If you were to acquire these technologies what would you do with them?"

"We would end this war decisively," Peterson said. "The Minbari tried to wipe us out. We would return the favor. Earth needs to be protected from such predators and with your technology our worlds would be safe from alien intrusion and influences."

"And then what?" O'Neill asked.

"What do you mean?" Sheridan asked.

"After you wipe out the Minbari, what will you do then?"

"We will make sure that colonies and holdings are protected," Peterson said. "We won't have to worry about extending our reaches into unclaimed space. Naturally our influence would grow and most importantly, no one will mess with our interests."

"Will you try to negotiate with the Minbari?" asked Daniel.

"What for?" Senator Lindsey asked coldly. His hatred was evident. "They've never talked to us. They've rebuffed every attempt at communication. They're murdering butchers and frankly these people should be exterminated so that they can never do again what they've tried to do to us. They're no better than the Dilgar."

"If we gave you the technology that you're asking for then, you would slaughter the Minbari instead of coming to terms. What makes you any different from them? And if you did, how would the other races respond to you?"

Harris could contain himself no longer. "Enough of this. These talks are between humans. No one else should be taken into account," he snarled. He was about to continue when he was cut off by Jackson.

"I don't agree. Everything should be taken into account."

"I've told Major Davis and now I will tell you," Harris said. "Aliens should have no say in the workings of Human worlds. They gave you those technologies to do with as you see fit. Your shields alone could make all of the difference in the world for the continued survival of our ships and personnel. You're humans and you've helped us but we've also helped you. So, let me enlighten you. The Minbari began this blood-feud with humanity because we mistakenly killed one of their leaders. Don't think for a second that the Minbari will forgive what you've done to their ships. They will hunt you down no matter how long it takes, simply because you're a threat to them. Like it or not, you've thrown your lot in with us. When they come for you, your allies will abandon you like they did us. The only ones you'll be able to trust are your fellow humans. We want the technology and you would be wise to reconsider your stance on the matter."

"Excuse me, General," Daniel said. "Are you threatening us?"

"No," he answered, frustrated. "Just stating facts."

"General Harris. Some of these misunderstandings between us are due to a lack of understanding of whom and what we are," Daniel told him. "I am about to give you a quick history lesion of our Earth," he said to everyone. "Five thousand years ago, there was a race of beings that were dying. Whether it was because of war or disease, we don't know. But one of these creatures that called himself Ra found Earth's inhabitants, humans. He chose a young boy in what would later be called Egypt, inhabited his body and with his science became supreme ruler. In short, he was a god who reigned on Earth for close to five hundred years maybe close to a thousand; again we're not sure because he outlawed reading and writing. Others of his kind came and infested Earth. They chose humanity because our bodies were easy to repair and had a few other attributes they found pleasing. These Goa'uld were very territorial and eventually Ra kicked them out of his territory, but many of the Goa'uld System Lords took humans as slaves and hosts and spread humanity across thousands of systems throughout the galaxy."

Those who had not heard the story were shocked. They had no idea that humanity has been spread so far. "We haven't seen any traces of any lost colonies of Humanity in any of our travels," scoffed Senator Lindsey.

That because of two reasons," Carter said. "First this is a different universe, not just a temporal displacement, and what's happened here is different than what has happened in our universe. But also there is no evidence of a stargate network present here."

"Stargate?"

"I'm getting to that," Daniel said. "To continue, most of the human colonies have never developed much past developing gunpowder. Most worlds were completely subjugated and any rebellion was brutally put down in order to keep the population under control. In the case of Earth Ra left Earth during a major rebellion of human population. The other Goa'uld had long ago left Ra's territory. Isolated, Ra fled via something called the chapp'ai, translated 'gate of heaven' or more accurately 'Stargate'. Before he left, tens of thousands of slaves were sent through the gate to other worlds. He abandoned Earth, and the rebels buried the Stargate, which was found and activated by the US in the late 20th century. However Earth was still technically his territory and we were left alone for the most part by the others because of their fears of Ra. We were able to develop without Goa'uld interference.

"But what is this Stargate you keep mentioning?"

"The Stargate is a long-ranged teleportation device that uses stable wormholes to transmit matter and energy from one point to another, in this case thousands of light years in a matter of seconds."

"I find that rather hard to believe," Peterson said. "Such a thing is impossible according to our science. Even some of the most advanced races that we have encountered never claimed to have even imagined such technology."

"But if it's true," Luchenko added speaking to Peterson, "then there is so much that you have to offer. The ability to travel hundreds of light-years in a manner of a few seconds, I can't imagine what that could do for humans everywhere. Not just here, but for our people everywhere."

"Let's discuss the Stargate later," Daniel said, clearly happy to be in lecture mode for a change. "To continue. It took us a while to understand how the Stargate worked but once we did, we encountered the Abydonians. They had been taken from Earth close to four thousand earlier as slaves. Ra was their god and when we emerged through the Stargate, he discovered us, didn't like what he saw, threatened us, tried to blow up Earth, and we ah, nuked him. The System Lords never knew what happened. A couple of years later another System Lord called Apophis came through the Earth gate, kidnapped a few people. We followed and got them back and that started the war between the System Lords and Earth. The Goa'uld are very territorial and that's been the only thing that kept our planet from being completely destroyed. The System Lords believe in absolute rule. Any dissension is met with punishment usually in the form of destroying everything.

"We will destroy your world, O'Neill said. "That was one of their favorite phases. They said that a lot. You kick one of them, 'We will destroy your world'. You talk about their taste in furniture, 'We will destroy your world!' No sense of humor whatsoever." He looked around. "Sorry, just thinking about the good old days. Daniel, please continue."

_**Psi Corps Command and Control**_

_**Moscow**_

"The 'Allied' ships are on their way Bester. You and your people better be ready for this, I do not want any fuck ups on your side understood?"

Bester merely smiled at the annoyed face of the balding senator. Clark was more than capable of leading this plan into fruition at the cost of his own forces leaving Bester's own people to pick up the leftovers for their own use. "We will be more than ready Senator Clark. When it comes to it we shall simply remove those of your forces that will possibly turn against you." Best's face went dark "Just remember your part of the deal, as many of the ships' crews as we wish to 'question' on how they seem to divert the majority of our psi abilities."

"Divert, Bester?" Clark countered. "You mean make you look like a fool? Yes you will have those you wish to question once we have their ships. Even if you can't get into their heads, using our own troops to get their attention should suffice. You do whatever you have to to get us those ships. With the new technology we'll gain we shall be able to defend our people and spread out among the stars. We'll have room for the Alliance to grow and peace between all mankind. All that we will ever need is within that one ship."

"Quite understood, Senator. We shall be ready. Bester Out."

"I'm surprised Alfred, anyone else would be drooling into their laps by now. You're getting soft."

Bester looked over to his senior section chief; the man was the reason Bester had even been assigned to the project in the first place. Smiling briefly he bowed his head to the older man and the grey haired architect of their plans nodded back motioning for Bester to walk with him.

"Not soft, Sir. It's more that Clark is useful in as much as we need the technologies of that ship and the reasons that our telepathy is useless against their people. I am not happy that we are unable to pull their secrets from their minds. But once we find out how they block us it should be a simple thing to find our way through it. Once we have they should easily be manipulated to do as we wish."

"Very good. How are the initial experiments progressing?"

"As well as can be expected, the initial genetic and electronic scans are inconclusive. I think we'll need to go in deeper."

"Very well, you're authorized for full invasive surgery, do whatever you have to do find out what he knows and what we need from him."

"Of course."

Bester slid his key card through the magnetic reader next to the heavy armoured door, leading the chief into the room they nodded to the doctors in the room. Then they turned to the naked figure strapped to the table, unconscious and unknowing of his final destiny at the hands of the PsiCorps.

"Now Lt Silverston, you will tell us what we wish to know whether you like it or not," the chief muttered.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter nine**_

"_**I Think Therefore I am… I think."**_

_**EarthDome Military Operations Command  
Geneva  
Earth Alliance**_

"This stargate you've referred to," mentioned Senator Peterson said. "It seems like it's been more trouble than it's worth. If you have so many enemies trying to kill destroy and enslave humanity, wouldn't it be better for us to join forces and fight as a unified front in both your space and ours? With you, we can eventually control all of these gates, advancing humanity a thousand years and making sure that no one could ever threaten us again."

"Do you know how many gates you're talking about?" asked Carter.

"No," O'Neill answered. "He doesn't have a clue."

Peterson looked stricken. He was thinking in terms of a few, but the inference seemed to indicate that there were a lot more, possibly close to hundred.

"I am sure we can handle the gates," Lindsey said thoughtfully. "There has to be some type of management that Earth Alliance can devise. Something that important should no be in the hands of agents that could be a threat."

"I'm sure the Asgard, the Jaffa, and a few others including the Goa'uld, would find your comments – interesting," O'Neill said after hearing that. "You see, this is where I have a problem with this whole thing. I get the feeling that we'd wind up being junior partners with your alliance and that's something that I don't think my superiors would appreciate, if you understand my point."

"If, as you've said, there are large numbers of humanity spread throughout your galaxy," General Harris said, "then you owe it to do everything in your power to unite them. These Goa'uld System Lords need to be wiped out. Humanity from both sides needs the freedom to thrive and that can't happen if the Minbari and these other aliens are still around. They will come and keep coming until there's nothing left of Humanity. And what, God help us all, would happen if the Minbari discover the Stargate technology? We can offer assistance to help stop them and others that threaten humanity. Despite your advanced technology, your space military is still small in number and the aliens that you claim are your allies will never take the place of your real brothers and sisters that will all die because of your shortsighted beliefs."

The temperature dropped a few degrees as the SGC contingent. "Point in fact. Our Asgard allies have done more for us than you have," O'Neill said. "They've also been more polite than you have been. And we've developed a lot more trust between them and us than I'm seeing here."

"I wonder, General," Ambassador Sheridan stated. "Don't you want Earth, both our Earths and the other humans to be safe and unified?"

"I don't know," O'Neill answered as he thought about it. "We've seen that sometimes reunions can be a bitch."

Senator Lindsey looked as if he'd been slapped. "There are some people who are strongly suggesting that humanity be unified no matter the consequences of those actions. The survival of our species is at stake and some choices will have to be made in the best interests for all concerned. What would you say to that?" he asked.

"Well, this looks like an impasse to me, Daniel," O'Neill said coldly as he pointedly ignored the Senator. "There's nothing else to be said. Thank you for your time."

"Uh-wait," Peterson said. He was glaring daggers at his fellow senator. That obvious threat had just blown away any trust between them whatsoever. "Where are you going?" he asked while trying desperately to salvage a rapidly deteriorating situation.

"Home seems to be a nice place."

The SGC contingent got up, ready to leave.

Harris jumped up. "Wait," he groped. "You haven't paid for the trade in maintaining the Achilles."

"I think saving your collective butts at Proxima, kinda balanced the scale-in our favor of course-but, we're being generous here."

"But," stammered Senator Luchenko. "We haven't finished our talks yet!"

"You're getting up and leaving these talks is a perfect example of exactly what I mean," Lindsey said. "In the face of the truth, you're running away. You're showing despite your technology, you're not mature enough to make the hard decisions!"

"Senator," General Harris growled, glaring at Lindsey. Then he turned to Peterson, Luchenko and Sheridan. "As humans they owe their allegiance to Earth. They owe us…"

"General, shut the hell up!" Ambassador Sheridan yelled. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please! There's no need to end our talks like this."

"I agree," Peterson said with sincerity. "Perhaps we were a bit too aggressive," and he too glared at the unrepentant Lindsey, "but you have to understand that we're desperate and you have things that many in our military would sell their souls for…"

"It's not ours to trade," O'Neill said. "And we won't. Call it – immaturity."

"Okay, General," implored Sheridan. "Can we at least set a time where we can continue our talks when we've had a chance to cool down somewhat?"

"It's possible" he said looking at Lindsey as if he were something to be removed from his shoe. "But for now we've overstayed our welcome. It's time for the Achilles to go home."

"Can we at least set a date for the future?"

"How about six months from now, if you mange to survive this war?"

"How dare you!" stammered General Harris. "You would abandon your own people to those Minbari sons of…?"

"We've given you help," Major Davis said. "We've supplied you with enough to keep you alive in this war. We've put our lives on the line for you people and made another enemy, not because we had to but because it was the right thing to do. Now, are you going to honor the deal or not?"

The room went dead silent.

"Yes," Ambassador Sheridan answered. "For what help you've given us, Earth Alliance thanks you. Our agreement for four Nova Class Dreadnaughts, six Hyperion Class Cruisers and a dozen smaller vessels to be dispatched to the rift will be honored at such time as they can be spared. If we don't honor the agreement then it's because we're no longer alive to do so. I promise this."

General Harris was glaring daggers at the SG team but to his credit he said nothing. Finally he growled that the agreement would be honored, or something like that. No one was sure what he really said and no one expected him to elaborate either.

General O'Neill and his people prepared to leave when Teal'c turned and faced the Earth Alliance General and the Senators. "You are mistaken, General Harris. The allies of the Tau'ri will not abandon them."

"And who are the Tau'ri?" he snapped. Once again his temper was getting the better of him.

"The Tau'ri are the humans of the planet you call Earth, their Earth," the Jaffa announced. "For thousand of years, the Goa'uld have ruled the galaxy. The Jaffa were the warriors that served the will of the False Gods. The Goa'uld are a plague in the galaxy and the Tau'ri have fought and defeated them. We were freed by the very members of the Tau'ri standing in this room. By their actions they have made many enemies and have also made many friends and allies. If the Tau'ri are attacked, they will be defended by the full might of the free Jaffa nation among others."

"Is that at threat, Mr. Teal'c?" Lindsey growled.

"It is a warning. You are concerned about the Minbari. The war you are having now will be as nothing compared to what will happen if you continue with your attitudes by extending it to the home of the Tau'ri. The Jaffa burned entire worlds in the name of the False Gods. We still remember."

The Earth Alliance members were stunned. That seemed like a declaration of war.

"Way to start off our second round of negotiations with these people," Daniel told him.

"Indeed," he answered as he walked out the door. "As a wise woman once said, 'the time for dancing is over. It is time to walk the walk'."

"Oh, God, he's channeling Oprah."

"And how would you know, Jack?" Daniel deadpanned.

"Hey, hey, hey! Who's in charge here?" Jack quickly countered.

Daniel stopped. "There are a couple of things I need to finish before we leave," he told Carter just before she turned the corner. "It'll only take a few minutes."

Carter glared at him and then sighed. "Don't take too long."

"I won't," he said.

The talks hadn't gone well but a couple of the scientists he wanted to speak to and because of the way the talks had gone, this might be his only opportunity to do so."

Major Caison's brief was simple in terms of wording but incredibly difficult in terms of execution. He had been ordered to seize the two SGC ships currently docked on either side of the star base, meaning he was going to have to split his teams to take both ships simultaneously. It was a difficult task, but one he was prepared for. The Major commanded a full company of a hundred men and women recruited from various groups among the Earth Force armed forces, including two telepaths from PsiCorps on long term loan, and extra insurance.

The people he would be leading were stone cold killers, unfeeling and unquestioning of orders. They were not officially part of Earthforce, but answered a higher calling, something that superceded the Government…

– A Bureau Thirteen.

The true nature of Bureau Thirteen, often shortened to B-Thirteen to those who knew of its existence, was a mystery even to its select few members. It maintained political power through the manipulating of Senators and Cabinet officials. It had people like Clark pushing its policies through government and senior military officials siphoning off funding and advanced weapons away from Earthforce and to their own personnel. It had influence in the PsiCorps, recruiting many of its best interrogators from its ranks and also commanded brilliant scientists and had members on the IPX executive board. But despite this power, this influence, this technology and this force, B-Thirteen had nothing to compare on the scale of the three ships docked now within their reach. They could jump centuries perhaps further with the possession of these ships, and cement Earths place as the premier power in the galaxy, unchallenged, respected and obeyed.

To that end Major Caison had free reign. B-Thirteen had sent virtually their entire force to make this happen, every commando they had in their ranks had been sent to ensure success. It was a major investment and a great risk. If went wrong B-Thirteen would be toothless, robbed of its militant wing that had been years in the making. Such ruthless soldiers were very hard to replace.

Caison checked his pocket computer, showing all his teams were in place. Some were dressed as regular dockworkers and were already on the two SGC ships pretending to load supplies and making small talk with the crews. Most of his units were in cover close to their targets fully armed and waiting for the order to go. It would be coming soon, and Caison would personally lead the attack on the flagship Prometheus. Carefully and quietly he made his way to the outer ring and prepared for action.

_**Geneva  
**_

"General, will you please leave us?" Ambassador Sheridan asked. Although it was politely phrased there was an edge to it that demanded no arguments.

"Senators," Harris nodded coldly. "I'll be on my ship." He left, glad to be away from the coming firefight.

Senator Luchenko paced around the room. She was completely livid. "I don't understand your reasoning, Senator Lindsey," she said through gritted teeth. Her Russian accent was thicker now, as she fought for control. "The Russian Consortium will not be pleased with your actions. Were you trying to deliberately sabotage these negotiations with that self-righteous of yours?"

"Yes, I want to know as well," Senator Peterson affirmed. "You crossed the line with these people."

"I don't have to justify myself to you," Lindsey snapped.

"Then maybe you should justify yourself to the President!" Sheridan yelled. "You single-handedly blew our best chances for winning this war!"

"I did no such thing! I was applying a little leverage."

"You applied to much!" Luchenko yelled. Then her voice wavered slightly as it got cold. "In case it has escaped your notice they are not ours to demand anything, they are in no way beholden to us in anyway, I will let the consortium know, and your constituents as well, what happened and why we made enemies of the only people willing to help us!"

"I did what was best for Earth Alliance," Lindsey yelled back. Filled right righteous indignation, he continued. "They're twenty-first century primitives with technology that could not only save Earth, but keep us from having to worry about anyone trying to keep humanity down. You've seen their weapons, their shields, their light-speed drives, and who knows what else they've been hiding. Alien allies!" he almost spit. "What have they ever done for us? When we needed them, they ran and hid! With those technologies in our hands we could protect them as well as those so-called other humans. Don't you see? We could stride the stars like giants. The others wouldn't stand a chance and neither would anyone else. Earth's and humanity's security would be guaranteed, but not with them in charge. Look at them! They're not even united on their own planet. They're too primitive, too disorganized, to protect themselves or anyone else. And they had the unmitigated arrogance to reject our help and deny us weapons to defend ourselves. A few of their nukes could end this war right now! But we're talking to them and Teal'c, that alien trash, he all but declared war on us! Mark my words; we'll have to deal with his kind in the future after we deal with the Minbari. **The Dilgar burned whole worlds and EarthForce slapped them back to Omelos where they all died. We remember too."**

"If we win; which seems less likely by the minute," Sheridan announced viciously. "We made an agreement with them in good faith and they've given us a much better chance than we had. Despite your less than brilliant actions here, we may still have a chance to keep from totally destroying Earth Alliance's credibility."

"Cease your theatrics, David. They gave us enough to get an edge, but they stabbed us in the back 'and' they expect us to come crawling back to them for tiny bits and pieces of their technology as if we're their lapdogs. The Minbari are starting to respect us now that we can hurt them. The longer they hesitate, the better our chances are. And we will remember what those 'people' did to us in our time of need."

"I thought you were being egotistical," Peterson said, staring at him as if he'd never known him. "Look at you. You're planning another war when we may not survive this one!"

"We'll survive," Lindsey said with confidence. "Things change and we have an opportunity to change the course of history right now. And it's an opportunity that shouldn't go to waste."

Sheridan and the rest glared at him and their concern began to grow as they thought of what their associate hadn't said in so many words.

**Prometheus**

"I need a mint," O'Neill grunted, "something to take away this bad taste in my mouth." He stuck out his tongue. "yeeerggh."

"General, I'm not sure that's an appropriate expression for a flag officer," Carter ever so gently reminded.

O'Neill closed his mouth. "This all started so good. We find a new world, we help them out, everyone's happy, then they get all huffy when they don't get

their own way. It's really disappointing, Like Episode One."

"Episode One was a cinematic masterpiece," Teal'c stated flatly. "A necessary opening to the saga."

"I've got one…no two…hang on, three words for you," O'Neill worked out.

"Jar Jar honking Binks!"

"Four words General," Carter commented.

"Carter, you don't always need to use your brain, just give it a rest once in a while."

She smiled widely. "Yes, sir."

The trio stepped onto the Prometheus bridge to find Colonel Ronson waiting for them.

"Welcome back aboard, sir."

"So good to be back," O'Neill nodded in reply. "Where's Daniel?"

"Still on the surface," The Colonel answered. "Finishing up a little business with a Dr. Morden," he said.

"That means he found someone to listen to him and now he won't shut up," the

General grunted.

"Anybody else?"

"I believe so, Sir. We'll check with Achilles for a body count."

"Do that," he grumbled. "We could be here days. How's the supply situation?"

"Good sir, Earthforce is giving us some rations. I tried one and they're actually pretty good."

"Got one handy?"

"Yes sir," Ronson found a pouch. "Just tear the top off."

O'Neill followed the instructions, and as he did so the contents automatically heated. "Whoah," he said in appreciation. "Welcome to the world of tomorrow."

"We've got four hundred crates on each ship, should keep us busy for a while," The Colonel informed.

"Cool, but it won't make me give them shields! Take more than self-heating lunches to impress me," O'Neill stated. "Well I mean it is pretty awesome, but

not that awesome."

"We should be loaded up in twenty minutes."

"Okay, when we're done break seals and move us away, we've got stuff to

do. We'll beam Daniel onboard when he finishes. Tell him he's got a half hour, no more."

"Aye, sir."

O'Neill paused. "They got any Chicken ration packs?"

_**Vreetan Star system:**_

Despite being in space, encountering different aliens, talking to them and or more than occasionally going to war with them, the Vree were considered a fairly open, enlightened, and somewhat pleasant species. This opinion concerning them did not include certain less than savory experiments done by some of their ancestors on non-space faring races, particularity the humans in the late twentieth century.

The ancestors thought that the panic human reactions seeing ships from another world and not being able to prove it hilarious (and the current people could appreciate the humor). But as the Vree encounter more aliens, they discovered the dangers of the universe. Some of their closest neighbors had tried to kill them a few years back. The Dilgar were a dangerous, barbaric, militaristic race, intent on conquest and extermination. It was because of them that the Vree military had expanded as much as it had. The military wasn't as strong as some others but they weren't weak either. They considered their system fairly secured against most threats. So it came as a hearts pounding surprise when something passed their outer markers and twelve seconds later was picked up about to settle into orbit.

The O'Neill dropped out of hyperspace two A.U.s from Vreetan and instantly every alarm in the system went off. Dozens of Vree cruisers, shocked by the suddenness of a perceived attack rushed to defend their home world attempted to converge on the huge alien ship. They failed as the Asgard vessel outran them with ease.

Several ships surrounded the alien vessel, their weapons primed. The commander in charge chose not to fire first. The energy shield around the vessel had been detected immediately and in comparison to the Abbai's it would be almost impossible without the use of a lot more ships, to pierce them. Terrified by the power readings and size of the vessel, the Vree military waited for the imminent attack, all the while calling desperately for more Guild ships from **Photikar and Deruzala colonies in system.**

But instead of a first strike, what they got was a communications. "Greetings," the very familiar-looking alien said.

On the home world, the Vree were stunned by the resemblance to their species and for a horrifying moment, it was believed that these aliens were the Strieb. Those reclusive aliens looked similar to the Vree as well, but were an aggressive, dangerous race that kidnapped others and attacked entire worlds if they were found to be weak.

"I am Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet."

The Vree Guild Grand Master was confused by those words. He'd never heard of the Asgard before, but this commander Thor looked very much like an off-shoot of his people.

"Greetings, Thor Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet. I am Low Council Guild Master Ruronal, military Commander of the Vree. If you have come to attack our world, we will defend ourselves with everything that we have," the Vree announced as bravely as he could.

Ruronal was terrified as he scanned the alien vessel whose power levels approached insane levels. In fact, the only readings that could compare were to that one scan of a Vorlon vessel almost three hundred years ago. By some miracle, the Vorlon had allowed the ship and crew that dared perform the sensor sweep to live. That had been a well celebrated day. Unfortunately, this day could possibly be become the worse day in Vree history. First contacts were always hazardous as the Earthers had found out.

"We of the Asgard come in peace," the Commander said, easing the fears of the Vree military somewhat. "We are exploring this new area of space when we became aware of your presence. As our time is limited in this area of space, we chose to initiate a First Contact."

The Grand Master of the Military guild studied the creature on screen in front of him. Despite the similarities, there were some obvious differences such as size, they were a lot smaller. Their heads were shaped differently, although the eyes were the same. And this Commander didn't seem to have an overt sense of humor. He didn't seem angry, just serious.

"Can you please be more informative?" Ruronal carefully requested.

"The Asgard originate from a different galaxy," Thor informed. "While exploring, we discovered your species. We have not seen others whose appearance is so close to our own so we decided to investigate."

"You claim to be from another galaxy?" The Vree commander was extremely skeptical.

"Yes," Thor answered without a hint of emotion. "Our form of hyperspace drive operates on a different principle than what you are accustomed to."

"I see," Ruronal said. He really didn't but he was intrigued and he wanted to keep this Vreetanoid speaking until some of the leadership could get to command and control. He was out of his depth here and needed help in what was clearly a First Contact situation. He didn't want to do anything wrong. Fortunately they were just entering the room. Then there was a light and suddenly the small Vreetanoid simply appeared in the room with them.

"Greetings," Thor said. He was sitting in his chair, staring at them.

"Greetings," Ruronal stammered. That the alien come down to their command center said a lot for garnering some bit of trust. Face-to-face meetings were always important in these first time introduction to other species. Upon closer inspection, the alien looked similar but the differences were glaringly obvious. It didn't matter in the least. "You used a form of dimensional slip to come here!"

"I am unfamiliar with the term 'dimensional slip', however if you are referring to my method of travel, it is a form of sub-molecular matter energy conversion and transport."

That explanation was fascinating. "Are there any ill effects resulting in this form of travel?" one of the Vree, First Ruler Tur asked.

"No," the small alien responded. "I am Thor Supreme commander of the Asgard fleet," he repeated for the new Vree.

"I am Tur, High Council Guild Master First Ruler of the Vree. Welcome."

"Indeed. I shall not be here long." Thor lifted himself up and walked towards Tur carrying a small object.

The much taller Vree, surprised by the Asgard's size, gingerly took the device from his hand.

"This is a copy of our database. It shows our history and culture. It is my hope that if we come again to this area of space it will facilitate peaceful contact between our people."

The Vree bowed slightly. "Thank you. We will reciprocate as soon as we can." He turned and handed the information to one of his assistants who hurried away.

That assistant would return with as much Vree history available as quickly as possible. There was no sense insulting anyone whose ships generated that much power so effortlessly. "Your species is very similar in appearance us. Are you perhaps related in some way?

"At this point that unknown. But you do have a remarkable similarity to our genetic precursors. We would be interested in any medical data you have on your species."

"And would we get something in return?"

"Yes."

Tur had to think over that answer very carefully. It contained no details and some might even suspect it carried some sort of veiled threat.

"What would you offer?" he asked carefully.

"In return for your medical database and medical samples, tissue and genetic specimens we will offer your world the schematic of hyperspace travel," Thor answered. This form of travel will allow you to travel faster than light without entering what you term jump space. This offer would contain the theory behind hyperspace physics and will allow you to create your own version of a hyperspace engine without the use of the alloy you apparently use to generate a jump window into a high dimension of hyperspace. We would also offer you inertia and sensor technology which will allow you to navigate at the speeds that this form of travel is capable of. This technology will allow you to travel at up to one thousand three times the speed of light for durations of thirty standard minutes. As you study the technology and make improvements it will allow you to travel much faster for longer periods of time."

Tur merely stared at the small alien trying to remain indifferent. His hearts however were beating so fast that he thought he would die of cardiovascular failure. Such an offer was unprecedented and there were hints of desperation contained in that offer. By will of force he calmed himself down. "That seems agreeable. I will confer with my fellow government officials." He already knew what the answer would be. "Would you be interested in selling your matter transport technology?"

"No."

"But we have something similar," he quickly added. "Our dimensional slip does something similar to your matter energy transport. But we simply step into slip and step out at our destination. I propose a trade?"

The Asgard stared at him for a moment. "Can you perhaps demonstrate this technology?"

A few minutes later, a portal generated from an orbital station appeared and two Vree personnel stepped through opening.

Throughout the demonstration, the O'Neill's crew took readings of the experiment. The results were quickly transmitted to Thor. "Most interesting," he said. Then he looked at the Vree. "Most interesting indeed."

_**Dock**_

"We've still got another forty crates," the Dock Master stated looking down his roster. "Won't take long though." He waved to a traditional looking fork lift truck to bring over the next batch.

"It'll come in handy," Sergeant Woslow agreed. "Makes a change from Potato

mash and stew."

The Air Force Sergeant glanced at the four airmen helping the EA dock crew move the crates. "Good to see you have women working here."

"Just a few," the Dock master said. "Mostly drivers but hey, if you can do the job..."

"Well that ones lifting," Woslow pointed.

"Wha…?" The Dock master frowned. "Hey," he called out. "Hey lady, who the

hell are you?"

"Me, chief?" the blonde woman stood by the crate asked.

"Yeah you, you ain't on my roster!" The Dock Master was fuming. "Who you

covering for? Which no neck dipwad got his girl friend to cover his shift!"

"Well, it was Stevie."

"Who the hell is Stevie?" The Master was getting red faced, beside him Sergeant Woslow kept his distance.

"You know, Stevie," she answered.

"I don't… In fact who the hell are you?" The Dock man glared at another

loader. "Oh this is just priceless. I'm going to call this in."

He turned and nearly walked into a broad man in a black unmarked uniform and

body armor.

"Who the f…"

"Execute," the large man said, and before another word was uttered the blonde woman and stepped up and cut the Dock masters throat.

Woslow bolted for the open loading bay of Prometheus, fumbling for his radio

but to no avail. Powerful hands grabbed him and a sharp pain hit his back dropping him hard to the floor. He was pushed down and fought to get up but

could not get purchase. He saw the blood covered female dock worker drop on

his chest, raise a dark knife, and then nothing more.

Major Caison watched approvingly as his under cover team wiped out the five

Air Force personnel and four EA dock workers, he didn't need any witnesses.

"Shelly, did he contact anyone?"

"Negative," the blonde stated flatly.

"Initiate lock down. Seal the station."

With a nod she made for a computer terminal and began overriding the station's systems.

"Alpha team," Caison spoke into his secure link. "Begin. Beta team, begin."

From beside him the first of fifty armed troops emerged from adjoining rooms

and raced into the Prometheus' docking bay, fanning out amid the cargo bays

and starting their breaching of the ship.

"That's weird," Colonel Carter noticed a blinking blue light on a side

console.

"Weird? Weird how?" O'Neill asked. "As in 'funny' weird or 'we're all going to die' weird?"

"It's a massive EMP surge," Carter guessed. "Very powerful, it's affecting our internal sensors."

"Where from?"

"That's the weird part, it's coming from us."

O'Neill frowned. "I think that qualifies as weird, open a line to the Achilles."

Carter tried a few buttons. "Sir, the EMP is affecting our comms too. We

can't raise Achilles or the Station."

"How is that?"

"It doesn't look like anything specifically jamming us, just massive blanket

interference."

"Why don't you try and cut through it?" suggested the General. "Where is it centered?"

"I'd guess the number two cargo bay."

"Teal'c, why don't you take a couple of guys and have a look," O'Neill suggested.

"Very well."

"And Teal'c, better take a gun or something. You know, in case its weirdness

In-a-gonna-kill-us-all, way."

Caison waved over the attaché from the PsiCorps. "These are the internal plans acquired by my associates," the telepath revealed.

"How did they come across these?"

"We asked," The telepath replied. "We asked very insistently."

Caison was familiar enough with secret interrogations that he didn't need much more. "Fine, where do we go?"

"There are two critical areas, reactor room and bridge. We need to take

both."

"Very well," Caison nodded. "Shelly, reactor. Squad one follow me to the bridge."

The black clad teams lined up either side of the internal cargo door and plugged a palm computer into the wall, seconds later activating the security bypass and letting them into the corridors.

A crew man spotted Caison. "Hey, you aren't supposed to be here!"

The Major answered with a PPG blast to the head. "Make it quick, they'll figure this out fast," Caison said. "I want three engineers, two pilots, three weapons officers and the whole bridge crew. Kill everyone else."

"Okay, now I'm getting tingly." O'Neill frowned. "Usually that means trouble."

"I think I've calibrated the internal sensors," Carter said absently as she rearranged components inside an open wall panel. "Sometimes I hate Goa'uld

technology with all these crystals and slots."

"Yeah, we might be a primitive culture but at least we invented dials and switches," O'Neill agreed. "No wonder we kicked their asses."

"I think I've got it precise enough." She clunked a last crystal into place.

"Can you see anything?"

"Were you aiming for a blank screen?"

"No."

"Keep trying."

"The personal radios are also out," Ronson observed. "I'm with you General, this is just wrong."

"We better play this safe, go to red alert," O'Neill ordered. "That should get the security detachments armed and patrolling; maybe they'll handle this by themselves."

"Or leave it to Teal'c," Carter suggested. "Anything?"

"Now you've got static."

"Well at least it's getting there," she sighed.

Caison's team was moving fast, covering deck and space and moving up and down ladders. He didn't need to completely clear the ship yet so focused on securing the key control areas. Once he had command he could hunt down any remaining crew. With both ships under his control the third alien ship could do nothing without endanger what would be left of the crews. They'd be forced away and blown to hell before they could get out of the docking facility

The sudden change in status took him a little by surprise, the bark of alarms and inevitable rush that brought. He braced himself and rested his finger on the trigger. The first trio of crewmen entered the corridor at the sprint heading from their rest quarters to their duty stations. They saw a group of black-clad troopers at the end of the corridor but were so surprised they didn't stop running or even think of finding cover. All three were felled in a burst of PPG rifle fire.

Caison waved the team forward, two commandoes on point while the rest followed either side of the corridor. The leading man rushed round a corner and had no idea what happened next.

Teal'c hit the man so hard he back flipped over and hit the deck headfirst. His team mate opposite leveled his rifle but Teal'c was faster putting three staff blasts into his chest. Before the Commando hit the floor the corridor was awash in red energy fire forcing Teal'c to hug the wall.

"Airman Connor, return to the bridge and inform the General of this situation."

The man bolted back the way he came, leaving Teal'c and two other armed men.

"By now this gunfire will have been heard, help is coming."

The PPG fire slackened a little and was replaced by a light metallic clang

and the sound of something quite heavy rolling down the corridor.

"Withdraw!" Teal'c bellowed and ran down a corner with his escort. The

same instant the Commandoes grenades exploded in a wash of plasma that scorched the corridor and set fire to a number of fittings. One of the airmen was caught, falling flat as his legs gave way. He screamed in pain for a few seconds before Caison put a round through his forehead.

Teal'c and the surviving airman ducked back and returned fire, forcing the

Commandoes to duck back. The chatter of the MP5 and 'whumpf' of the staff

weapon was answered by the PPG's as the commandoes fired blindly around

the corner.

"Retire to the next intersection," Teal'c commanded and began inching back.

A Commando darted round and took a burst of fire to the chest, the hits throwing him off balance but the simple 9mm ammo failing to penetrate his flak vest. Teal'c tried to finish the job with his more powerful staff but by then the Commando was in cover and firing.

A couple more armed troops ran to the intersection.

"We heard gunfire, what the…"

Both of them fell to deck, cut down by scarily accurate PPG fire as the highly trained Special Forces leapfrogged forward. With a grunt Teal'c gave ground, the escort with him, and disappeared down a side corridor.

Major Caison detailed four men to follow them, the rest pressed on for the

bridge shooting down anyone in their path.

"There's still confusion," the comms operator said. "Radio chatter is all mixed up, people can hear the gunfire."

"Times getting short."

"The Achilles team is also making progress," he said. "I can sense the

other telepath, they are on schedule."

"Then we better pick up the pace. Faster people, we have to be gone

fast."

Teal'c waited patiently as he listened for the approach of the Commandoes,

honing his senses and finding a calm centre. As he strained, he heard the almost imperceptible tread of boots on steel he gripped his staff and counted down the seconds. The first two commandoes came round the corridor simultaneously, sweeping their rifles back and forth looking for targets. They found them, but could not act soon enough to do anything about it. The Airman sprayed the first man with bullets, finally finding some chinks in the advanced body armor while Teal'c swung at the second man.

However, this Commando was more prepared and ducked, aiming his rifle in the

process.

Quickly Teal'c swung the staff in a reverse arc knocking the rifle from the Commando's hands and then pressing him back with a sharp jab. The third and fourth were close behind, one attacked the airman who tried to grab the Commando in a restraining move. It was a bad choice, the Commando had far more training than the airman and easily reversed the move, spinning the SGC crewman and in a violently brief move snapped his neck.

Meanwhile Teal'c jabbed forward with his staff and caught a Commando in

the chest winding him, and then quickly pulled the heavy instrument back and caught the original Commando behind him as he tried to get back into the fight.

With a whirl of grey metal the Jaffa swung the staff around at head height

catching the Commando who had killed the airman hard in the temple, dropping

him flat to the deck.

The other two rushed forward, one met the staff while the other grabbed Teal'c from behind. The Jaffa worked his legs and slammed against the Bulk head crushing the Commando. It took three attempts but finally the grip loosened enough for Teal'c to grab the man and throw him forward over his head. He slammed his staff down on the prone commando ending the threat. The last black clad man drew a knife and swiped at Teal'c in short vicious strokes making him give ground. The Jaffa gauged his reach, allowed him to advance, then with out even breaking into an expression leveled his staff and shot the man in the chest.

With the area quiet he could hear a slight crackle on his radio. "O'Neill?"

"Teal'c?" The radio replied in the General's voice. "About time, what

happened?"

"We have a situation."

"That's it, internal sensors restored," Carter said proudly. "Uh oh."

It was understatement, the ship display showed two distinct groups of

people on the ship that shouldn't be there. One group was in the engine room,

the other was just one deck below them.

"We've got comms too," O'Neill said. "Just had Teal'c on, he confirms

the scans."

"Sensors show they're human," Carter read. "Impossible."

"Oh it's very possible," the General said grimly. "Shut down all blast doors. Seal the ship."

Behind him the bridge doors slid shut.

"Sir, I've got the Achilles," Ronson spoke up.

"General, come in," a voice suddenly spoke on speakers.

"Colonel, report?"

"Sir we've got boarders. They've taken the engine room and are on the way to

the bridge. Our security squads can't hold them."

"Same here," O'Neill said angrily. "Seal your ship and standby further orders."

He ended the transmission.

"Carter, get me the station now."

"Comms are still shaky, sir."

"I want to speak to General Lefcourt right now." There was something in O'Neill's voice, a coldness that Carter could barely remember hearing.

It was a chilling sensation.

"Yes, sir."

_**Station One**_

Lefcourt paced back and forth opening and closing his fists in frustration while the work teams stood at the door of the control room slowly burning through. The doors were designed to keep out people trying to do the exact same thing, now they were serving to keep the station personnel isolated across the station.

"What's the estimate on the computer?" he demanded for the tenth time.

"I still don't know sir. Whoever sliced the system did a better job than I've ever seen." A Lieutenant reported. "I don't know who did this but it was a pro, not some teen hacker in a basement."

"I don't care if it was Dukhat's pissed-off ghost, get me my station back!"

"Sir, they knew our computers inside out." His assistant grimaced. "Had to be an inside job."

It didn't make Lefcourt feel any better.

"Sir, incoming message!" a technician called in surprise.

"Did we break that damn jamming?"

"No sir, but I guess someone did," He answered. "It's the Prometheus, the other one."

"This is General Lefcourt," he answered. "Tell me you know what's happening?"

"I was going to ask the same thing," O'Neill said flatly. "I've got Earthforce troops on my ship shooting my people."

Lefcourt shook his head. "Impossible, that can't be!"

"People keep saying that, but there they are."

"General, I assure you this is not sanctioned by EarthForce command."

"You'll forgive me if I'm just a little skeptical, with the killing and stealing."

"We've done some low things in our time General," admitted Lefcourt, "but nothing like this. Whoever those people are they are not in the chain of command, and they are probably they same people who shut down my station and murdered twelve dock personnel."

"They shut down your station?"

"I regret to say I'm locked out of my Control room with no access to our systems, and so are my Marines."

O'Neill swore under his breath. "You swear to God you didn't order this?"

"You have my word as an officer; I swear it on my family's life. I didn't

know and neither did anyone in my command."

"Then I want you to know General, I'm going to handle this and people are

going to die."

"They aren't my people," Lefcourt said grimly. "Whoever the hell they are, they deserve what they get."

O'Neill cut the channel. "I believe him."

"Sir?" Carter questioned. "You're sure, simply because he swore?"

"It's not what he said; it's how he said it. I've met his type before, old school military. He isn't lying and he's lost people too. We're going to end this." The General reached for the ship-wide speakers. "Attention, this is a message to all intruders. Lay down your weapons and surrender now. This is your one and only warning. Surrender or I will use lethal force to regain my ship."

There was a dull thump.

"They're at the bridge door," Carter said. "They're setting charges."

"Last chance," O'Neill said coldly.

"They're still rigging the door."

"To hell with them then." Angrily he punched the ship to ship link. "O'Neill

to Achilles, initiate Ragnarok protocol effective immediate. No exceptions."

He activated the terminal beside him and entered his own command code, followed by the order, 'Ragnarok' and his final authorization. "To hell with 'em all."

Major Caison laid the last charge then retreated back to his men having ignored the warning.

"Use stun grenades, I want their senior staff alive," he said, "especially O'Neill. Thirteen has their best interrogator waiting for him along with the Cybernetic team." He smiled. "Couple of months from now we'll have him following our every order." He wired up the detonated but never had the chance to proceed further.

In the moment he was ready to detonate the charges everything went white, then turned very dark and very cold. Through the shock he managed to see that all around him dozens of soldiers drifting in space around them screaming silently as their bodies began to suffer from the zero pressure of space. Somehow they'd been spaced, all of them! How!!!

He himself began to panic and struggle his view focused on the darkened station and the three alien ships. The moisture around him turned into frost. Training forced him to exhale as hard as he could, however training had never fully prepared him for the real thing and within moments his body forced him

breath vacuum . He started to lose conscious just before his eyes turned to ice.

"Ragnarok protocol complete," Carter said emptily. "All intruders have been

beamed into space."

"Very well," O'Neill acknowledged with no sense of triumph, just the hurt of

a man betrayed. "All crew to stations, we're leaving."

Ronson took the central chair and began powering up, the Achilles doing

the same.

"General Lefcourt," O'Neill spoke on the comms system. "We've finished, good

luck getting your station back and dealing with those sons of bitches who called this mission."

"General, don't believe we're all like that."

"I don't," O'Neill confirmed. "But some are, and there's no way we can work

things out like this. Sorry General, but until you get your house in order, you won't be hearing from us again."

The two warships and the Ha'tak broke their seals and began to move away.

"Okay Colonel, lets swing by and pick up our people, then get us out of

here."

Gradually they pulled away. Missing a fair proportion of their crews the ships would take a little extra time to achieve full operating ability. A few seconds of beaming would allow for the tagged members of the crews to be brought aboard the warships.

"We've got everyone Sir, Major Davis and his escort have just been returned to the Achilles." Carter whispered

With a numbness O'Neill turned away from the station, his usual quip notably

absent. "Let's just go home."

On the station, Bureau Thirteen Agent Jonson watched the ships leave from his window, and picked up a phone.

"Sir, the mission has failed."

"You are sure?"

"Positive, the SGC vessels are leaving."

"Understood, I will implement Plan B. Vacate the station and return to your fall back point."

"Understood."

"Leave the rest now to me." He disconnected and established a comlink. "Scheduled events were unsuccessful. Send the distress call and make sure you destroy everything connected to us."

"General," Ronson pointed through the bridge windows. "Movement."

A squadron of bulky Starfuries raced past close by performing a fast close

run over the Prometheus gun batteries.

"Did they lock on?" O'Neill asked.

"No sir but we just got an intense tachyon scan," Carter replied. "They were

definitely checking us out."

"I think I can see why." O'Neill sank even further. "Look at that."

The ships scanners lit up as a dozen EA ships moved to intercept. While

moving very slow by SGC standards with the damage caused by the B-Thirteen

teams both Achilles and Prometheus were running slow and sluggish forcing the Ha'tak to take point.

"We're being hailed."

"Why not?" O'Neill waved a hand.

"This is General Harris of the Earth Alliance Dreadnought Bolivar. We are aware of your attack on the station and will respond with deadly force if provoked."

"Our attack?" O'Neill yelled in disbelief. "Oh this can't get better."

"You will stand down and prepare to be boarded."

"Believe me General, you don't want to try and board us."

"Then we'll just have to blow you out of the sky."

O'Neill leaned forward. "Try it."

"I've got ten Dreadnoughts and another fourteen converging here General, even you can't fight that," Harris informed.

"Well I'm kinda curious to find out."

"This doesn't have to end in bloodshed."

"You are way too late for that buddy," O'Neill snapped.

A new voice crackled in. "Harris? Dammit stand down!"

"General Lefcourt? The other EA officer recognized the voice. "I have this under control."

"They didn't attack the station!"

"Looks pretty crippled to me."

"It wasn't them, General O'Neill was also attacked."

"Right, it was the pixies."

"Will you use your head for once!" Lefcourt snapped. "Stand down!"

"My orders are clear."

"I'm countermanding them!"

"I have my orders from higher than you Lefcourt, now back out of this and let me do my job." He cut off the communication from the still inoperative station, its guns and fighters still powerless to intervene.

"Colonel?"

"A lot of systems are still warming up, we can't jump."

"I won't leave Daniel anyway," O'Neill said. "Guess we'll have to go

past them. Shields?"

"Operational, but he's right. Against two dozen dreadnoughts at this speed, I dunno, could get ugly."

"Not as ugly as I can make it," O'Neill growled. "They pissed me off. Action stations, load launch tubes and prep rail guns. Tell the Jaffa that they may have to start taking names."

"Aye sir, action stations."

"Now, let's see what they do next."

On the Bolivar, Harris watched the power curve shoot up on the two SGC ships.

"They're arming weapons and shields," his commander stated.

"Action stations, set condition one," he ordered. "Launch fighters and target the main battery on Prometheus."

The dreadnought sprang to life, altering position to bring every possible gun to bear and allow the far batteries to fire over the hull between the near turrets. Starfuries raced forward and escorting cruisers began to advance.

"Weapons armed, establishing lock."

Harris nodded. He was supremely worried about the next few minutes, but he wasn't about to back down. In the next few moments he was about to discover if his Nova's could stop two twenty-first century warships and an alien cruiser powerful enough to frighten the Minbari. "Prepare to fire. And may God have mercy on our souls."

Vreetan Star system:

Tur, First Ruler of the Vree stared dejectedly, his hopes somewhat but not totally dashed. The Asgard aliens chose not to share their transporter technology but they had not completely rejected the offer either. But like his people these aliens were cautious and his military were absolutely overjoyed with the schematics of the hyperdrive engine. It was slow compared to jump space travel, but the potential was astounding. At the very least short range hops within star systems could be done with ease and travel to different jump gates would be done in minutes, not hours and days. The entire Vree civilization was about to change. The Guild would surely fight to acquire the technology first just as they were fighting to speak to the Supreme Commander. But there wasn't time and the Asgard were about to leave. Very nice aliens he thought. But these Asgard had no sense of humor at all and doing anything to provoke them seemed unwise.

Why these Asgard needed medical data remained a mystery, however what they had offered in return had been astounding. All of these things were on his mind as he approached the Asgard. "May I respectfully ask what will you do with the samples of my people?"

He was still nervous speaking to such a powerful race. They could have very easily taken what they wanted without any difficulty. He doubted that the entire Vree navy couldn't have done anything to stop them. But they had been respectful and courteous so he felt comfortable enough to ask.

Thor looked at him with those familiar but alien eyes. "There is a race that may find this useful in its quest for survival," he answered. "I thank you for this gift. The schematics that we have given you will start you on your journey. I recommend that you use it well. One day we will return and it is my hope that we will have the opportunity to spend more time together."

"Must you leave so soon?" asked Ruronal. "You have so much to offer us." And he was serious. All of the guilds were serious. He felt a connection to these creatures that seemed so much like his people despite their being First Ones and that what he assumed they were. First Ones and friendly ones at that. Such power, combined with respect for the younger races. How different. How frightening. How much like older siblings.

"Our time is limited in this space," Thor told him. "If it is possible, we will return and open more formal negotiations. Our data indicates that you may not wish to freely share with your own people. We hope that you will see the wisdom in sharing with one another. Please use the technologies we have given you carefully. It can be of great benefit to your people. We wish you and the Vree people well."

Thor disappeared using his transporter and within seconds the massive ship had rose upward and in seconds was gone leaving an elated but perplexed Vree nation filled with more questions than answers.

"We must come together to discuss this," a Low Council Guild member demanded.

"The Guilds will demand access to this technology," Ruronal announced.

Tur was silent for a while, ignoring the outbursts and building arguments all around him. With these new drives, star systems that weren't accessible by jump space would be opened. Trade would explode and new enemies would come for them. No more jump gate fees. No more need for **mining or collecting Quantium-40 in vast quantities.** Home systems would be more closely connected. Travel between colonies would become faster with less cost. "Contact the Guilds, all of them. We must meet to discuss the future of the Vree and all that this implies. And," he added. "We must discuss the First Ones who visited us and may be our distant ancestors. If they return we must be ready and show ourselves worthy. We must come together for this. I call for the Quorum!"

###


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

"_**Failure is always an option."**_

_**Earth Orbit**_

_**Earth Alliance**_

The Prometheus and Achilles drifted in space close by the other their weapons locked in an overlapping defensive sphere. Above them and to the fore of the Earther ships, the free Jaffa Ha'tak sat watching the incoming enemy fleet. All possible ways out in the three dimensions of space were cut off either by the gravity well of Earth or the surrounding EarthForce ships of all kinds, most several times larger than any of the vessels in the small Allied fleet, that were edging closer by the moment. Twenty of the close to one mile-long dreadnaughts was already in weapons range and adding to that were more appearing from positions all around the planet. Other cruisers and carriers were streaming forward. Fighters launched from all angles helped to close the cocoon the capital ships had begun. It was a token effort at best the SGC ships were well known to be capable of taking fire from hundreds of fighters without any trouble. A number of ships approached from the orbital shipyards, easily identifiable as refits using SGC exchanged technologies each were slightly faster and more powerful across the board than the normal ships. The fact that they were smaller Hyperion cruisers did not make them any less dangerous to the SGC ships. The fact that the refit scanners could not pierce standard Prometheus class ECM was causing consternation across the board by Earth Alliance forces trying to get a solid lock as far away as possible from the smaller, but highly respected 'other Earther' ships.

"Twenty ships in immediate range, Sir," identified Robson. "Dreadnaughts mainly, a few nuke carriers and a hell of a lot of fighters. No sign of activation of their main planetary defenses, but we are reading attempts to lock on using the main planetary scanner arrays. They're possibly powerful enough to get a partial lock on us."

"How long?"

"At this rate, twenty minutes maybe a little more."

"The second a single ship fires on us, I want that ship dead. Spool up the main cannon and order the Achilles to do the same. If I have to, I will blow every ship and station I have to into their component parts to get out of here. "And," he added, "contact the Ha'tak. If any of us are fired on then they can have free reign, kill anything that gets in the way."

"Aye, Sir."

The two human cruisers maneuvered ponderously as they cleared the gravity well of Earth. Their damaged systems still kept them from accelerating any faster, however both ships railguns locked onto fighters and smaller ships while missiles and cannons began targeting anything that came into range. From the rear of the Prometheus six missiles targeted the most dangerous of their enemies –

– EarthDome itself.

"Sir, those missile cruisers are packing modified nukes," Carter exclaimed. The surprise was evident in her voice.

"How modified?" he demanded, concerned by Carter's concern.

"I'm reading what looks like an enriched naquada warhead. I think they figured out how to use Quantium-Forty as a weapons system."

"How the hell did they figure that out?"

"My guess they found out about our naquada warheads and realized the Q40 could do something similar. Naquada is not Q-40. They're the same base element but in combination with different minerals gives it different properties. The naturally mineral with elements native to our galaxy gives us naquada but most likely not here. For them its Q-40 that's in abundance. The differences gives both minerals different properties. I can see why they don't use them normally. I imagine it's a lot more complicated to make an explosive Q-40 derivative and the yields are much less compared to naquada but it does allow an increase in explosive force by several dozen times the usual yield. "

"How many can we take?"

"I don't know, Sir. Their yields at best are about one fourth of ours. But, I really don't know how many hits we can take."

"Any chance of beaming the warheads off those ships?"

"No, Sir. Their own countermeasures and some heavy q-40-based radiation are blocking a decent fix on them. We'd need to be on top of them before we could even think about it and by then we'd be taking hits."

"Redirect priority fire against all of their missile cruisers and anything else with those nukes on board," O'Neill ordered. Looking at the comms officer he nodded, "and put me through to that idiot Harris." The screen to the side changed as Harris allowed the communication to go through.

"Are you ready to surrender, O'Neill, or do I have my ships fire?"

"Fire on me General, and find out what six multi-gigaton nukes does to your planet," O'Neill smirked. His eyes were cold as ice. "You have the arrogance to try to take _MY _ship by force and expect me to have no say about it? You must have seen those 'people' that are currently floating out there. They attacked and killed members of my crew in an attempt to force us to give over our vessels. That attempt has perturbed me Harris," he told the EarthForce general in a slow almost monotone-like voice. "But you are starting to annoy me and as a great man once said 'you wouldn't like me when I'm angry'."

"You're bluffing." Harris' face showed no emotion, but his forehead had little beads of sweat large enough to be visible onscreen.

"Your people murdered mine; I'd call it proportional response." O'Neill sat back. "This isn't my Earth and if the people I've met are any indication of what this version is like we're better off without you. The fact is Harris, that we've met your kind before several times, several tried to kill us, some tried to enslave us. Others simply wanted to use us to wipe out their enemies and then turn on us. Sound familiar?"

"You can't escape this system O'Neill. Any attempt to leave will result in your ships' capture and or destruction."

"Try it Harris. We're leaving. Anyone in our way, they die," Jack replied. "Be sure you want to lose so many millions of people before you take us on, because we're not the only ones here and I doubt you would want to take on our allies either."

The sweat was running down his sideburns now. "With the technology that we gain from your ship we'll be able to take on anything in this galaxy," he said as confidently as he could to O'Neill.

"So it turns out moronic bullshit is a human trait no matter the universe. Did you listen to anything I said in the meeting Harris? Our enemies could wipe out dozens of our best ships in seconds without trying. Your fleet would be wiped out to a man in minutes with Earth likely a few minutes after that. I don't have a problem with killing every single person on every ship coming at us but I really don't want to fill in the paperwork that comes with it. Now, get out of the way and I won't have to do either."

The screen blanked as the communication was cut off by the Dreadnaught. O'Neill looked to the Tactical officer who nodded indicating that the EA fleet were still trying to lock onto the three SGC ships. Their ECM making a mockery of every scanner the EA had, but with the volume of fire that the EarthForce ships could churn out every second, even visual targeting would help the Dreadnaughts score hits on the already sabotaged warships.

Communications were picked up between the EA warships, the space stations and predictably a number of offices at EarthDome. The fleet surrounding the SGC ships sat in place, cannons still scanning for anything to lock onto and missile hatches open, and warheads primed.

"Anything?"

"Not much,General. We've broken their encryptions. General Hague is trying to shout down Harris and a few of the Senators who believe we started the fight," Carter responded. "It doesn't look like they believe him. Harris is demanding orders to take us or not."

"Time to ECM failure."

"Another ten minutes then they'll be able to get a partial scan."

"Hyperdrive?"

"Three minutes to full activation, the damage done by the boarding parties wasn't too bad," Carter replied. "But we're too hemmed in to jump, Sir there is the other choice. We have the other Ha'taks awaiting us at the anomaly system."

"We won't need them. I can get us the space to get out. Send a message to the other ships to follow us in when we open the window."

"Yes, Sir."

"Communications, get me EarthDome."

_**EarthDome**_

_**Geneva **_

_**Earth Alliance**_

"What do you mean they failed?"

"It seems that the ships have a form of defense against any unauthorized intrusions. They removed my soldiers and deposited them into deep space where they died due to the decompression!" A blacked out screen allowed only a distorted voice to emit from Senator Clark's com unit. "B-13 is not used to such set backs as this, we have no agents capable of getting close and if they manage to recover any of those bodies our very being may come to light. In this case, we are willing to allow the Tau'ri ships to escape our hands for the moment, we will find other routes to get what we want."

"This is the perfect time to take those ships!" Clark all but shouted at the monitor.

"The second they open fire we can overwhelm them and take what we want from their blacked hulls. O'Neill can and will be put on trial for treason in an open court and we will have yet another chance to show the moronic public the 'facts' about alien contamination of a human culture!"

"Keep your diatribe to yourself. Perhaps you didn't understand me, Clark so I will say this again, we no longer have the resources nor the proclivity to attack the Tau'ri ships again. Almost every soldier and agent in our pocket is now compromised or dead. It will take time and resources we can ill afford to bring our organization back up to the power we had until today. Do not attempt to contact us again Senator, or we will take measures to make sure you never try again."

The screen died as the Bureau Thirteen operative killed the connection. Inside his office however Clark was seething. For years he had been a willing ally to them, influencing and changing policies all over the Alliance. Now they had decided to leave him high and dry and alone in case the Tau'ri found out the truth about what had happened. Growling at the disconnected screen, Clark walked out of his office to sheer pandemonium. Secretaries and guards, senators and governors were running around attempting to get to the underground bunkers or simply away from the dome itself. Grabbing one of the closest people he shouted over the din. "What the hell is going on?"

"The Tau'ri ships have gone nuts. Their weapons are targeting right on EarthDome!" the clerk shouted. Yanking his sleeve from the senator's hands the young man ran to the lift heading for the shelters.

Shocked at the news Clark ran back into his office and tapped into the main EarthDome Command communications systems, his not so legal wiretaps allowing him access higher than his position would usually allow.

***

"…_. Been told by General Hague and his staff, the incident on your space station was not our doing. The fact that fifty or more of your people attempted to take over my ships could be considered as an act of war, something that you really don't want."_ O'Neill came on the screen. _"Now I don't really care about wiping out a billion or so people, I've done much worse over the years against those trying to kill my Earth and I sure as hell don't have a problem doing it again. I have three ships that combined will kill your fleet this planet and anything else that annoys me. I have no reason to stay and no reason to help the Earth Alliance any more than Colonel Taylor already has. Any chance of an alliance was over the second your people tried to pirate my ship. Murdering my people has just made me madder."_

"General O'Neill, surely we can come to some arrangement! The attack on your ship wasn't sanctioned by this office, nor any of my cabinet," Levy explained. "If it was an EarthForce attack then it was done under the noses of everyone in command down here or on the station."

"_I suppose it was magic was it Madam President, someone had the clearance to let fifty heavily armed and armored men and women onto my ships through your 'secure' space station and damage my ships. There is little to nothing that you people have that we can't take on. We gave you the chance you needed to take on the Minbari and now you will have to deal with the circumstances of your betrayal."_

"I'm ordering our people to stand down General. I won't try to stop you but please at least allow us to try to make amends. The war with the Minbari has destroyed almost a third of the Alliance's military power and destroyed almost every outpost outside of the main colonies. Blame us for what has happened if you want to, but don't let that blame fall on the innocents of the colonies or on this world. We will find whoever ordered this attack and they will be handed over for justice." Levy took a breath. "Attacking and killing allies or even those that are unknowns is against every military and senatorial decree we have and we won't let them continue to risk this alliance between our peoples."

"_You have the capability to see the Minbari ships, you have your modified railgun systems and it seems you have some very powerful saturation nukes available. There is no reason for us to stay. We have our own troubles at home. I'm already guessing that your generals have decided not to give us the ships we requested as part of this treaty because of their blatant attack on us."_

"I don't know about that, General. The military seem to take a dim view of politicians at the moment."

"_The military have a problem with politicians full stop, in BOTH galaxies not just this one,"_ O'Neill replied. _"The fact is that the politicians here in your universe are responsible for allowing this war to start by sending ships somewhere they had no reason being. For us the military are all that's kept both our own race and yours from total destruction so far, and for that we have been attacked or abused by politicians and so-called allies…including some of those that are currently illegally tapping this communications line."_

_***_

Clark stumbled back his arm flailing to shut down the wire tap and secure the computer from outside interference, something that was too little, too late. The communication channel had allowed the Tau'ri ships to break into his files and simply remove them wholesale erasing his passwords and cracking encryptions in mere moments!

His monitor stayed locked onto the communications link while the entirety of his life's work was forcibly ripped from him; schemes, blackmail, bribes, anything that had managed to benefit him in his career.

***

"Six of your senators have just had their entire databases erased and transferred right to my ships Madam President. Once we find out who allowed this to happen then we will take action. For now I will pull my ships away from your fleet and back towards the station, weapons deactivated but understand that I will not hesitate to turn it to slag the first sign of aggression."

"We understand," Levy replied. "Our ships are pulling back as we speak."

"Carter?"

"Alliance ships are holding position, Sir. Our ships are pulling away."

"Time?"

"Were ready now."

"Madam President, I believe that this is now over."

With that O'Neill shut off the communications link between his ship and EarthDome. With that signal, the Achilles raced forward, engines blazing. A hyperdrive window appeared a mere hundred meters from the massive space station. The Achilles disappeared through it with a flash of light and the Prometheus was hot on its heels, the much larger Ha'tak coving their backs as the two damaged vessels escaped.

Seconds later the Jaffa vessel itself jumped through the still open window passing through without incident. With a final flash the window shut leaving the EarthForce vessels sitting motionless and bewildered.

_**Valen'tha**_

_**Modified Shargotti Class Cruiser**_

_**En route to Mid Range Station Hali'ror**_

The Valen'tha dropped out of hyperspace three light years out from the closest of the mid range stations from the Earth Alliance borders. All around her sixteen Sharlins and more than fifty other vessels sat in formation, enclosing the council's ship. With the Earthers on the offensive for the first time since the opening days of the war, the council needed to be protected.

Another jump point bloomed open as another ship dropped out of hyperspace its IFF flashing identifying it as a critical information courier from the front lines and in response the entire fleet slowed to a relative stop. Constant scans bombarded the small warship as it approached the massive Shagotti, weapons locked onto every move that the courier made.

"What is the trouble, Shai Alyt'Na?" asked Delenn.

"A courier from Command post Va'la'hu has requested boarding permission, we've dropped out of hyperspace to take them on." The ship's master bowed slightly at her entrance. "The gravitation fluxes were starting to increase in violence in this sector, we'll be here a few hours."

"I understand and thank you for your patience."

"My honor is to serve, Satai."

A shudder rang through the ship as the two vessels linked up. Their docking ports secured and pressurized, the inner doors opened to the exhausted and bruised face of Alyt Vel'rann. Quickly he was ushered to the ante room of the Grey council itself. This allowed him to compose himself before he would have to face the Council. The loss of his fleet would damage the defenses of the immediate area around the border regions. The door opened silently and as he attempted to see past them the interior appeared black and foreboding. He knew a number of the council by name and others by reputation, but that knowledge did nothing to assail his fears as he walked through the door, the panel closing behind him. He walked forward as a light turned on bathing him in radiance. He stopped and bowed his head.

"We are Grey. We stand between the Candle and the Star, between the Darkness and the Light." A disembodied voice said from in front of him. "Alyt Vel'rann, you have come to us with news."

"Yes, Satai I do. Several days ago, two hundred ships under my direct command were dispatched by Satai Coplann to attack the Earther forces arrayed at their major colony at Proxima. Scouts have led us to believe that a large concentration of enemy ships had been consigned to attack several of our own systems. As a precaution we came in from range with our stealth fields at maximum. It was not enough, as my ships came under attack from mines and from long range fire from the Earther ships. By the time we had made it into range our ships were outgunned and outflanked. However as we closed, we were blocked by the arrival of a number of unknown ships, each with weapons and technologies not native to this area of space. A second ship much like the type we saw of the newcomer vessel. Two other unknowns appeared with massively superior armaments to our own, calling themselves 'Jaffa' who claim to be allies of the newcomers."

"Then this arrival means that the Achilles and her ilk could return home, or that many more may come through to assist the Earthers," spoke Morann. "How much of a danger are these new ships?"

"They are very dangerous, Satai. They use some form of plasma weaponry that is much more powerful than any that I have seen before. If the Earthers were to garner that technology then they would be able to destroy our ships at range with impunity. Their ability to see our ships will allow them to destroy us in moments without harm to their ships. Each of the vessels were similarly shielded and armored like the original ship. The Earther ships if they do have these new technologies will wipe us out as we have attempted to do to them."

Morann lowered his hood. "We have lost more ships in the weeks preceding this meeting than in several hundreds of years that we have been watching and awaiting the Shadows, or their spawn. Then what is your opinion, Shai Alyt?"

"I have no answer, Satai. The fleet has taken losses and with assistance the Earthers will continue to take our ships apart as well as increasing their own numbers. At best this war will become a stalemate as we fight ship for ship, world for world, until exhaustion destroys us both and we all become targets for the larger powers in this region of space."

"Then we must take this to another level, this war has been for show until now, proof that we can overcome even the most powerful of other races within this area of space. The humans made a mistake which they have already paid for," Morann said. "This war should have been over long ago. With new technology and allies the Earthers have become much more dangerous. They may not accept a compromise or ceasefire and the Warrior caste will not allow the destruction of so many of our ships to go unanswered."

"The Earthers are still strong enough to cause damage on an unprecedented scale even without weapon or defensive upgrades. With the ability to see our ships their larger heavy weapons could cripple even our biggest ships. Pure numbers will play against us. Their ships are functional to a degree above any of the other races. If this war continues then new designs may come into use against us, some that may be capable of destroying our Sharlins one on one."

"Preposterous," The third of the warriors replied. "They may be able to see our ships but our weapons and armor are clearly in advance of their own."

"You are correct Satai," Vel'rann replied. "However their defensive technologies if suitably upgraded will make our advances over them useless at best. Fighter attacks will become worthless as they enhance their defense grids. The newcomers have already proven that their relatively thin armor and shielding can take multiple attacks from our largest weapons. If scaled up in size and thickness to the Earther warships, they will be able to approach and destroy entire fleets with impunity. The damage done to the Valen'tha herself from the human's original attack proves the threat that their weapons could have to our vessels."

"Then something will have to be done before this can happen!"

"How? We have taken many losses during this war." Teronn of the workers replied. "The shipyards are building new vessels and bringing the mothballed fleet to full alertness as quickly as possible. However we are no where near ready for a full scale deployment."

"The only way to stop the humans would be to drive straight for their inner planets. We have located the planets of Beta Durani and Proxima. The human homeworld is very likely to be heavy reinforced and defended due to the attacks. We have a possible location for the planet but if we do follow through with this attack then we may lose more ships in one day than in the last thousand years combined," Morann replied. "Their home world and the entire system would be protected by their new scanners and by their most able ships currently not deployed against us. Our losses would be catastrophic allowing the humans to retaliate against our worlds if we fail."

"Then we may have to make the attempt to end this war a different way." Delenn began. "We request a ceasefire and terms to end this war. The humans have made many attempts to apologize for what happened. They have requested terms of a ceasefire and even of outright surrender before they are all destroyed. This war has gone too far as it is. Genocide is not the answer to what happened and maybe we should have realized this from the start. We have never gone this far before even against the Streib, nor the allies of the shadows. Why have we done so against the humans?"

"It was you yourself that gave the order Delenn, to wipe them all out for this attack!" a religious member countered. "This war is for the memory of Dukat and to show that we are still a power that is not to be trifled with."

"Is it?" Teronn dropped his hood, "Shai Alyt Vel'rann."

"Satai?"

"Of us all, you have fought the humans. You have returned from a battle you had no hope of winning yet you seem to have no rancor against the people that have destroyed your forces so completely."

"The Earth forces were capable of destroying us completely. We were outnumbered, outgunned and incapable of escaping the combined forces of the Earthers and the newcomers. However we were allowed to leave by their commander for no other reason than he could."

"Weakness or humility?" Delenn pondered. "We would not have allowed the humans to escape such a trap. We would not have allowed any one of their ships to return to their world to let them know what happened."

"Then we have to decide, do we attack and destroy their home system or do we attempt to make peace with them?" asked Sharonn. "Neither would be acceptable in the current climate but it may be the only way for us to finally end this conflict once and for all."

"It is my belief that the humans are now for the first time a truly worthy adversary," Morann explained. "Enough that if we continue this war that we will end with the annihilation of our forces, enough that other enemies may take advantage of our losses to take their vengeance. The Streib amongst others are simply biding their time as we have always known. In addition if the stories about movement on the rim is in fact truthful, then we would be facing a war with the Shadows with no forces to defy them."

"Then how do we contact the humans?" Germann asked, "We have never requested contact with them and have never been willing to give quarter against their forces."

Vel'rann's head rose as he prepared to speak. The council was willing to end this war before more clans were all but wiped out against the much more capable ships of the newcomers and their Earther allies; something he and others of the lesser members of the Warrior caste had been hoping for for quite some time. The loss of his ships could lead to the entirety of the Star Shield clan being absorbed by the Blood Knives or the Wind Swords. "There may be a way," he suggested. "We request a ceasefire by way of the Anla'shok. We send a party of each caste to make this request through the newcomers ships. One ship sent without stealth and broadcasting under what the humans term a 'White Flag'."

"Are you volunteering, Shai Alyt?"

"I am the only Shai Alyt that has been up against their newest warships and lived to tell the tale. I am willing to donate one of my own ships to the Anla'shok to do this. It is my belief that this General O'Neill will be willing to meet with me due to his actions at Proxima," he replied. "If not, then I shall have at least regained the honor that I lost with my defeat. The choice of how this council proceeds is of course yours. It is simply my opinion."

"Anlashok'na Lenonn has already made the attempt to contact the humans of the newcomers." Delenn whispered, "As you know a Sharlin with a full Anla'shok crew was sent to the area that the newcomers were first discovered. They have not been seen since nor have any of them made any attempt to contact us."

"The ships that were sent?" Germann asked.

"We have heard nothing of them either. It may mean that they were totally destroyed or something is stopping their communications from making it back. With the technology that the newcomers have either could have happened. However I do doubt that the newcomers would have fired first. They have not done so to date and I do not think it would be likely to change in the foreseeable future," Sharonn replied. "The Earthers and the newcomers both may listen to a request from us simply because they have not had one before."

"We have never truly had contact with the Earthers before. With the exception of the declaration of war our people have not even talked to the human's leaders," Teronn agreed. "A request for a ceasefire will be seen as either a request of one equal to another or simply as a way out of this war that we may lose."

"Something that the Warriors will not be happy with," Morann warned. " Many see this as training for what is to come, others as rightful retribution for the attack whilst others are clamoring for the war to end. With so many of our best and brightest lost so quickly, several clans and alliances will not stand by while we allow the war to end on terms that are not our own."

"We can continue to build the ships we need to fight. We can recommission every ship we have held in reserve, but for how long?" Germann asked. "Every one of our Sharlins and Shagottis take time and resources to build, resources that may end up in short supply at the rate we are forced to replace lost vessels. The warriors may crew them, we may build them, but if we lose every ship we build, every warrior we send, even if we win, what will we have accomplished? I have to agree with this proposal; however we cannot vote this without a full council."

Delenn looked perturbed, she had been the last to be indicted into the grey council and was now almost the dominant voice within the same. There were members of the warrior caste that had been decided upon as the successors of those what would fall or would pass on naturally. Many were dead with others currently standing at the front lines awaiting the next phase of the war.

"The warriors must send for their next Satai," she replied. "We can however allow for our forces to step back and regroup and reinforce allowing us the time we need to bring this decision to a close."

"We have few left that can be called upon. Many have been killed in recent campaigns against the Earthers." Morann grimaced. "However with the death of Coplann we instigated a retrieval of Shai Alyt Sinoval from the fleet opposing the Earther's Orion System. He will return here on the Kala'hi within two days."

Sinoval was already well known as one of the proponents for continuing the war against the Earthers to its conclusion. His request to destroy the colonies as well as the military of the Earth Alliance had been turned down and the man himself censured for the very thought of murdering civilians. Unfortunately for the warriors he was a powerful and influential type with a cunning mind. The fact he was one of the few candidates left for a position on the council was a problem that the Warrior caste would have to deal with.

With Sinoval as a member of the Council, Morann and Sharonn were worried that war with the Earthers would not end but would increase in scope and in brutality. It was fortunate that his own caste as well as others would deny his requests. For the first time in hundreds of years a political appointment would be simply for show and not for fairness.

"With his arrival we shall prepare for the ending of this war. Shai Alyt Vel'rann we thank you for your help and your information. Return to your ships at the frontier station and await our call. If we are to continue with this attempt at peace then we will need your assistance," Delenn said.

"I live to serve the Council. I shall have one of my ships readied for the mission in case it is needed." Vel'rann bowed.

"You may leave, thank you."

Vel'rann walked from the room towards the bright light indicating the open doors of the main meeting room. Stepping out, the crystalline portal slid close sealing the eight remaining members of the Grey Council away from the outside world. Grimacing at the thought of Sinoval becoming the next Satai he walked away and to the docking bay. He had work to do and only two days to get it done.

_**Courtor System**_

_**Dimensional Rift**_

_**Unclaimed Space**_

Three massive warships had entered the system only a few minutes ago. They had faced the two Ha'taks that had been left behind to guard the rift. Seeing the two much smaller warships the Minbari had demanded the location of their missing ship and people. Needless to say the demands had not gone over well with the Jaffa.

"I think that could have gone better," Rak'nor mumbled.

"It could have. It is fortunate we were not forced to fire on the Minbari. These ones seem to be more patient than those whom our allies in the Tau'ri have met before." His second Hak'lor had spoken up. "It may be because we are not human or that they recognize fellow warriors."

"That would be preferable to destroying inferior ships and warriors. Too much of that has happened in the service of the false gods," Rak'nor agreed. "But if what we have heard of this universe is true then these Minbari may not be the true warriors they claim to be. Murder of a race for the loss of one man is not war. it is genocide."

"We should proceed to the landing bays, they will be here soon."

A small speck detached itself from the closest of the gigantic warships. A shuttle-like craft accelerated towards the Ha'tak on an elliptical course as a contingency plan in case the shuttle was misinterpreted as a weapon and not as a transport. Far below the pel'tak, a single docking bay opened up the inner atmospheric shield astonishing the approaching Minbari flyer.

Approaching silently the tiny craft slipped through the shield and into the bay, touching down flanked by a squadron of fighters on each side and more than a hundred Jaffa surrounding the area. Weapons were in evidence but not aimed at anyone. Slowly a hatch lowered from the rear of the flyer disgorging a trio of Minbari dressed in the uniforms of the Warrior caste.

"I am Far'nir of the Warrior Caste."

"I am Rak'nor, Commander of this vessel."

"We are here to request information on the whereabouts of one of our ships. She was last known to be approaching this system to look for the location of the rift that brought your people and those of your allies to this part of space." Far'nir said. "It is gracious of you to allow for us to board your vessel. It was fortunate that we were able to meet under different circumstances than our ships had against the other vessels."

"Indeed," Rak'nor nodded, "If you would come with us, we have much to tell you about the rift and your ship."

"By all means."

Far'nir and his two man escort followed the Jaffa commander and his executive officer. A large room had been set aside close to the hanger bay. Formally used to hold the effects of the Goa'uld that had once owned the vessel the room had been turned into a meeting place for Jaffa leaders and those that they were to converse with. Rak'nor gestured to the three Minbari to sit while he and others took chairs on the other side, a few moments later the doors sealed shut and locked themselves.

"Simply a precaution, Shai Alyt."

"You know of our ranks?"

"Indeed." Rak'nor began, "Several days ago the Jaffa Nation came upon two vessels in a region of space that has been claimed by an ally of our people. One ship was identified as a vessel belonging to a race that call themselves Centauri. The other a wreck that was discovered to contain a number of other aliens, a ship that is identical to those that you have approached on."

"Then they survived."

"Not all, I am afraid." Hak'lor replied. "The rift is unstable and the crews of both ships were all but wiped out by the energies contained within it, the few survivors have succumbed to some kind of disruption in their bodies. Most have died already. Neither Centauri, Minbari and our own medical equipment has been unable to bring them out of their comas, nor strengthen them enough for another voyage through the rift."

"Then they will die away from home and away from their people." One of the Minbari whispered, "We wish then for our ship and our people to be returned by your own as soon as possible, too many of our greatest leaders have been lost in this war it is only right we should return those we can to the surface of our world."

"That may be a problem. The bodies of many of your crew as well as the vessel itself have been taken from us by an unknown assailant," Rak'nor snarled. "They stole both ships and murdered the crews of several of our ships. What few survivors there were aboard were killed in the attack. Our ships are searching for any clues that may give inform us of who or what is responsible for this travesty."

The eyes of one of the Warriors narrowed before he spoke. "You expect us to believe that a phantom destroyed your ship and stole our people from us? Every ship that has come through that rift has been a bane to the people of Minbar, thousands of our people dead from the actions of these new humans."

"The Tau'ri are an honorable people," Rak'nor responded. "They would not have attacked unless you had attacked them first. The fact that they are human and were thought to be outgunned by your ship had your cruiser fire first. We have the communications logs for transmission to the Tau'ri homeworld directly from their own computer systems. If you had known how to approach the Tau'ri, would you have destroyed them as you are trying to do to there brothers and sisters?"

"Perhaps once, yes." Far'nir responded honestly. "But the ship sent to contact the Tau'ri as you call them was one of peace, an attempt to end the conflict between us and them before it stretched too far."

"Would that have included the humans of this universe?"

"I do not know," Far'nir pre-empted his aide. "Many ships have been lost to the Earthers and the Tau'ri. I do not know if this war would have ended or would have just stopped that between us and the newcomers. For now however, we are going to need to contact our world to inform them of what is happening here."

"Very well. You are free to use our communications or return to your ship," Rak'nor replied glad for the ease in tension between the two sides. "We will find what happened here Shai Alyt, and we will take our vengeance on those that have wronged us both."

"We shall return to our ship and thank you for your assistance. If it is as you say then it is my wish that you may destroy your enemies as they have wronged you."

"May you die well," Rak'nor responded.

"As may you."


End file.
